Celebrating fifteen plus years as a Mama, or Mum as we say in the UK. It's a bit weird as Mother's Day is a different date in the UK as is in the US. The UK follows the Christian calendar that has Mothering Sunday on the forth Sunday in Lent. Which means nothing to me other than it doesn't fall on the same weekend each year (its somewhere in March). Apparently, the US version (2nd Sunday in May) was started after the Civil War by a Ann Jarvis to honor mothers and their sons that were lost in the conflict. Her daughter Anne continued the movement leading to a Mother's Day declaration by Congress. And then she died decrying the commercialization that took place and what we live with today. For me, it's just means that the lines for breakfast are longer as everyone decides to take their mum's out for breakfast on the same day!
In spite of the commercialization, I planned to take Jennifer out for a special Mother's Day.brunch at Babica Hen Cafe in Lake Oswego. I was able to keep it a little secret. We had gone there a while back, when it first opened. And I love the drive from Hillsdale to Lake Oswego down Scholl's Ferry. A nice rural, winding road. It also turned out to be a gorgeous sunny day. So while we waited outside, we were able to bask in the sun, and reflect on our parenting experiences.
I acknowledged Jennifer for being an awesome mum to Josephine. Being able to be present for her (being a home-based mama), be a loving parent, and hold the space for her to grow into the wonderful woman that she is becoming. It's great that Jennifer, Josephine and I have all now done powerful training (the Landmark Forum) that allows us to communicate in an open and honest way not possible for many families. Jennifer was the first to do this work, and has consistently held this space for Josephine and I. It took us a little time to get it, but boy, does it make a huge difference for us! Next up, Father's Day on the third Sunday in June. That's the same day both sides of the Atlantic! More commercialization of parenting unfortunately. However like today, some will get present to the importance of family and hopefully make the effort to be with, or reach out to, their father's or children and be a stand for loving families.
