Reflections on Mother's Day 2013

"It kills you to see them grow up. But I guess it would kill you quicker if they didn't."

                                                                       -----Barbara Kingslover

This has been a different sort of Mother's Day for me, for the first time, I didn't have at least one of my children at home to do all the traditional things that they do on that day.  Andrew returned home from a trip to China in the wee hours of the morning, and Laura is in Maryland.  Laura sent me the dress I am wearing in the photo above and made sure her dad ordered a corsage that had yellow in it to match, she also sent me a fun tee shirt from Solomon's Island, a frame that says, "Love You" on it to put a picture of us together in it, and a beautiful heart felt letter that I will treasure always.  Andrew stopped by in the evening, bringing a gift from China, it was a lovely stone bracelet, he wasn't sure of the name of the stone as the interpreter said is didn't really translate to English.  We also got to see pictures of his adventures in China, with Habitat for Humanity set up through EBay.  It was a nice evening.

Earlier in the day I got to speak with both of my parents and wish my mom a happy Mother's Day.  It occurred to me that she's been having a different sort of Mother's Day for many more years than I have and how she must have had to make that adjustment from being the center of your Children's lives to quietly serving where needed, listening when they need to talk, supporting decisions even when they're not ones you would have made, and transitioning from the role of taking care of their needs to caring about their needs and helping when invited and praying for them when you're not.  At times you feel like you're not sure what your purpose and role is anymore, and you pray that you will find a way to be "re-purposed" and that your children will always know that you are there for them, and still pray for them every step they take. 

I am so grateful that I have had the privilege to be a mother to Andrew and Laura and I look forward to seeing them continue to progress and grow and become the amazing people God intended them to become.  I'm grateful that my mother is still there for me when I need her and that she prays for every step I take in my life.

Happy Mother's Day to all the lovely women in my life, where ever you are in your journey!