Happy Mother's Day

     This is one of my favorite weekends of the year - Mother's Day Weekend.  Firstly, let me just shout out to all the mothers out there - Happy Mother's Day!  I honor you and wish you all a very nice Sunday celebration.  We work hard, all of us, keeping body and soul together.  Some of us do double duty (Mom & Dad) for whatever reason, and I know first hand, how hard that can be, but we just march on, uphill most days, until we fall into bed.  That usually happens to me on Sunday.  That is a busy day for me.  Getting everything ready for the coming week.  I try to be done by dinnertime so that I can relax in the evening.  Notice how I said I try.  Usually, there is one more load of laundry to be folded, or lunch to pack, and then there's breakfast to organize so I can get out of the door in a timely manner....before I know it, it's 10:00 and my evening has evaporated.  I know I'm not alone, and you know what? It's ok, because I love being Mom (and Dad).  That's part of the package.
     I have to say that I didn't get to this point in my life without a little help and encouragement.  My grandmother was a single parent after my granddad died.  She was an OR nurse and worked nights.  She got home in time to see my Mom and my aunt off to school.  I think they were high school aged at this point, and able to stay home at night by themselves.  She'd sleep a little while and was there for homework, dinner and bedtime and then off to work again.  My mom was a stay home mom until I was in middle school.  Then she went to nursing school and started working.  When my parents marriage tanked my mom stepped up and did a what a lot of other women in the same situation did...the best they could.  She showed me what it meant to keep swimming, and not to give up.  To deal with the sadness and loss, and just realize that everyday is a new day, a new opportunity to make things right for yourself and your family.
       When I became a mother I had my own set of challenges.  I was new in Portland, my baby's instruction book was written in Chinese with no English translation, 9/11 changed the way we traveled, and I became sick with a life threatening illness.  Whew!  When I was on the "other side" of all of that I was so glad!  The last five years have been amazing.  I don't take anything for granted and I cherish every day with my little family.  A friend of mine always says,  "None of us are promised a tomorrow."  I take that statement to heart every day and make each day count.  I try to live in the present as much as I can. I glance into the immediate future only.  I try to think ahead a little bit, and plan as best I can, but I don't let it get to me if I can help it.  Change is on the horizon for my family.  I know that, and I accept it.  God knows how it's all going to work out, and that's a good thing.  I trust Him completely.  That just leaves me  free to take care of those last few loads of laundry and Sunday dinner - "Mom Work."  I love that.
Happy Mother's Day to all the mother's out there.  I hope your weekend is spent doing what ever your heart desires!