It Takes a Village ... of Moms
I'm not sure why it took until now to figure out how many mothers there are in my life whom I owe a debt of gratitude.
To my mom: Happy Mother's Day! Our journey has been one of ups and downs as all mother-daughter relationships are, but as an adult I think we have found our groove. Turtle talks about her Lau Lau all the time and wishes she saw you more often. I'm sure we can squeeze in some extra visits this summer. With 5 kids and 10 grandkids, I hope you know how much you are loved. You may not live close, but you are always close in my heart.
To my grandmothers: I am lucky enough to have had four of them. My Mom's mom is still with us and I'm so grateful. I have treasured memories of taking a bucket and spoon to the dirt pile in the back by the wood pile and playing for hours, of handing her clothespins as she hung laundry outside, of snuggling into her soft, worn cotton nightie as she sat at the kitchen table, of her phenomenal whistle. My Dad's mom passed many years ago, but she too is a treasure. I used to walk up behind her and do just the softest touch on the back of her neck and she would squeal and giggle like a school girl because it tickled. My stepdad's mom also passed a few years ago. She was a generous woman and school teacher with a lot of wisdom to share. My step mother's mom is still with us, but sadly we have lost touch. She is a very neat lady who understood right away the difficult relationship I had with her daughter. She is an understanding, compassionate woman that I wish I knew better.
To my mother-in-law: 3 years ago my husband surprised her with an invitation to move to Colorado. Within days, they put their house on the market and uprooted their lives ... in their 70's. I'm so happy that they did. They have a new lease on life and cherish their granddaughters. She is a generous, loud, lovely, big-spririted person, and I wouldn't trade her for the world.
To my daughters's birth moms: I owe you my heart. I have my children because two women safely carried their baby girls to term, delivered them, and then made the most difficult decision of their lives. These women gave up their daughters into the arms of emptiness in hopes that they would be wrapped in the arms of love. I hope that somehow these women know that their daughters are loved, cherished, wished for, longed for, and doted on.
To my daughters's caregivers: Turtle had a primary nanny who cared for her. This woman cared for her so well that she was a plump, healthy baby when I received her in that hotel hallway in Nanchang. She was a baby who knew her mind and wouldn't settle for anything less than the best. Mei Mei has a foster mama and the pictures of my beautiful child show me that she too is cared for and loved. It is difficult to give your heart to a baby that you know will someday be taken from you, but these women do it over and over and over again.
To my daughter's teachers: You are amazing women! I don't know how you do what you do everyday and still come out the other end sane. And yet you manage to fill my daughter's head with knowledge, compassion, social skills, manners, and kindness. Thank you for all that you do.
To my daughters: Without you, I would be incomplete. I lose my patience, I get frustrated, I become overwhelmed with emotion and grab ahold of Turtle and squeeze her tight and smother her face in kisses, I love holding her hand, I take parenting classes to learn how to parent a child with PTSD, I love to feel her sweet little hand gently rubbing my shoulder in the wee hours of the morning because she is awake and just wants to touch her mama, I love that Turtle lectured me the other day on the difference between Tyrannosaurus Rex and Allosaurus and Giganotasaurus. I am anxious about bringing home Mei Mei, but also incredibly excited to complete our family; I cannot wait to see how it all fits together. Turtle and Mei Mei, please know that you are two of the most loved and cherished little girls that ever lived. I'm ecstatically happy to be your mama!
To my mom: Happy Mother's Day! Our journey has been one of ups and downs as all mother-daughter relationships are, but as an adult I think we have found our groove. Turtle talks about her Lau Lau all the time and wishes she saw you more often. I'm sure we can squeeze in some extra visits this summer. With 5 kids and 10 grandkids, I hope you know how much you are loved. You may not live close, but you are always close in my heart.
To my grandmothers: I am lucky enough to have had four of them. My Mom's mom is still with us and I'm so grateful. I have treasured memories of taking a bucket and spoon to the dirt pile in the back by the wood pile and playing for hours, of handing her clothespins as she hung laundry outside, of snuggling into her soft, worn cotton nightie as she sat at the kitchen table, of her phenomenal whistle. My Dad's mom passed many years ago, but she too is a treasure. I used to walk up behind her and do just the softest touch on the back of her neck and she would squeal and giggle like a school girl because it tickled. My stepdad's mom also passed a few years ago. She was a generous woman and school teacher with a lot of wisdom to share. My step mother's mom is still with us, but sadly we have lost touch. She is a very neat lady who understood right away the difficult relationship I had with her daughter. She is an understanding, compassionate woman that I wish I knew better.
To my mother-in-law: 3 years ago my husband surprised her with an invitation to move to Colorado. Within days, they put their house on the market and uprooted their lives ... in their 70's. I'm so happy that they did. They have a new lease on life and cherish their granddaughters. She is a generous, loud, lovely, big-spririted person, and I wouldn't trade her for the world.
To my daughters's birth moms: I owe you my heart. I have my children because two women safely carried their baby girls to term, delivered them, and then made the most difficult decision of their lives. These women gave up their daughters into the arms of emptiness in hopes that they would be wrapped in the arms of love. I hope that somehow these women know that their daughters are loved, cherished, wished for, longed for, and doted on.
To my daughters's caregivers: Turtle had a primary nanny who cared for her. This woman cared for her so well that she was a plump, healthy baby when I received her in that hotel hallway in Nanchang. She was a baby who knew her mind and wouldn't settle for anything less than the best. Mei Mei has a foster mama and the pictures of my beautiful child show me that she too is cared for and loved. It is difficult to give your heart to a baby that you know will someday be taken from you, but these women do it over and over and over again.
To my daughter's teachers: You are amazing women! I don't know how you do what you do everyday and still come out the other end sane. And yet you manage to fill my daughter's head with knowledge, compassion, social skills, manners, and kindness. Thank you for all that you do.
To my daughters: Without you, I would be incomplete. I lose my patience, I get frustrated, I become overwhelmed with emotion and grab ahold of Turtle and squeeze her tight and smother her face in kisses, I love holding her hand, I take parenting classes to learn how to parent a child with PTSD, I love to feel her sweet little hand gently rubbing my shoulder in the wee hours of the morning because she is awake and just wants to touch her mama, I love that Turtle lectured me the other day on the difference between Tyrannosaurus Rex and Allosaurus and Giganotasaurus. I am anxious about bringing home Mei Mei, but also incredibly excited to complete our family; I cannot wait to see how it all fits together. Turtle and Mei Mei, please know that you are two of the most loved and cherished little girls that ever lived. I'm ecstatically happy to be your mama!
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