Mother's Day

This status update in honor of Mother's Day has been floating all over Facebook recently:

To those mothers with children in your arms, and those who are expecting, to the mothers with babies up in heaven, and those who are still waiting for a miracle: Happy Mother's Day. You are ALL mothers.

And is that not the truth? I have friends who've gone through miscarriages, who are pregnant, who are adoptive moms, step-moms, moms of kids with disabilities, moms of big families and moms of only children. Mothers come in all shapes, sizes, colors and forms. I have an aunt who was never able to have children who has been very much like a "second mom" to my son. I'm so glad she's been able to be involved in his life. I have another aunt who has kind of been like my "second mom." We've always been super close and I love spending time with her and her kids.
I feel like I've gotten a lot closer with my own mom after having kids. You come to realize a lot of things she dealt with or went through as a parent and she's a good source of encouragement. Of course sometimes after a rough day, I just want to call her up and say "I'm sorry if you ever had a day like today when I was little!"
I hope all you mothers have a wonderful day tomorrow! And for anyone that has a mother, grandma, aunt or someone who is like a mother, remember all the things she has done for you. Celebrate her daily, weekly and monthly - not just once a year!

In our own world today, motherhood is rarely sufficiently honored. One day each year, there are brunches and corsages and little gifts of love. But the rest of the time? As a culture, we do not respect the great gift of mothering. Women's work in raising the next generation is taken for granted. Yet it is a vital service to humanity, one that deserves to be acknowledged continually.
-Patricia Monaghan