Mothers' Day Thoughts

I used to avoid Mothers' Day like the plague.  I intentionally attended a Saturday evening Mass devoid of the blessing of Mothers.  My shopping cart would speed quickly by the Mothers' Day cards.  Still, the date was always a reminder of what I didn't have.

Then yesterday came.  During the blessing of Mothers at Mass, I was pleased to hear the priest call for them this way: "All mothers, foster mothers, stepmothers, and those who have lost children through stillbirth, miscarriage, or abortion, please stand."  While standing up for the first time, I began to cry.  The whole thing felt surreal.  To have waited so long and arrived at this day felt overwhelming (in a good way).  I definitely think that the long wait for children made this Mothers' Day all the more sweet.  And our many friends, knowing the struggle we've endured for the past few years, took great pleasure in wishing me a Happy Mother's Day.  They wanted this for us too.  While the pain of the past few years hasn't been very fun, it's definitely made celebrating all the more sweet.

Still, so many of my IF friends continue to be in my thoughts and prayers, especially on Mothers' Day.  The fact that you are waiting and sacrificing (through long adoption processes or uncomfortable tests/procedures) makes you mothers already.  I can only hope that your first Mothers' Day will bring you joy out of all this pain.  I felt like the Olympic athletes standing on the podium after winning a medal; all of the sacrifice and hardship made the moment of celebration even more poignant.  Yet sadness for my many deserving IF friends was there too.

Something else that I realized was that my husband got it right last year.  He still bought me a Mothers' Day card, noting my spiritual motherhood to students and baby-sitting kids alike.  I definitely appreciate his words more than ever this year; spiritual motherhood is so important.  I continue to be amazed at the many women who pour themselves out to care for others.

Also aiding in the celebration was a laid back weekend after last week's sewage fiasco.  We intentionally did more relaxing and de-stressing.  Sure, we also plowed through a bag of potato chips and sour cream & onion dip as well as some decadent cupcakes, but that was part of the celebration.  Really. :)

One Hollywood celebrity has a very sympathetic understanding of Mother's Day as an IF woman and now as an adoptive mother.  Call Me Mama posted this on her blog, so I wanted to pass it along.  The author's words really ring true.