Mother's Day

Happy belated mother's day to everyone to whom it applies...

Last year on Mother's day I had Eva's picture, but not Eva. And even though, I was a mother at that time, I felt like an imposter. This year I do not. This year, I understand a lot more about what being a mother is. The biggest thing I have noticed about being a mom are the things unexpected. For example, I did not expect that I would be able to exist for months at a time without sleep. I did not expect that I would enjoy holding a sick baby all night. I did not expect conversations that would center around bowel movements. On the other hand, I also did not expect that there would be days that I have had enough and need a break. A year ago, I imagined everything about being a mother would be great and perfect. In reality, it is not. There are times that I simply can not do or take any more. There are times that I cry from complete exhaustion. I have learned that the success of being a mother depends an awful lot on the support we have around us. I have also learned, that everything is bearable, as long as there is that hug from little arms and that cheesy, beautiful smile at the beginning and end of each day.

David took Eva to town to buy a mother's day present for me on Saturday. He wanted to buy me something to hold onto for rememberance of this day. So, he took her to look at jewelry. She picked out a piece she liked... David told her it was too expensive. Then, he selected one, to which Eva replied, "No. Don't want it." He then told her which cabinet she could pick from, and she chose the piece in the picture below. Although the picture isn't great, it is beautiful. I love the fact that she chose something with flowers on it. Eva and I have been walking around the yard and smelling all of the flowers coming into bloom the last few days... the apple trees, the cherry trees, the plum trees, the lilacs. She is learning all about flowers. In daycare, she decorated the flowerpot in the picture for me. It was cute that when David and Eva got home from their shopping expedition, Eva marched into the house with her gift bag and insisted I take it. I resisted looking and put it up. Three times more on Saturday, she hunted me down to give me that bag...she really wanted me to have it.

Mother's day was a good day & I am a very lucky woman.