Mother's Day

We don't do "traditional" things on holidays. Especially not on Mother's Day. Some people may frown on the fact that I didn't get a hallmark Card and a wrapped present. But I don't mind much, because my beasts (husband included) instead do a lot of little things for me.

For example, Friday night when I got home from work, my husband took the kids downstairs and let me take a nap while he fed them dinner. That may sound mundane, but I enjoyed it a lot. Actually, I spent a lot of my nap time listening to them. Just their little voices talking and asking questions made tears come to my eyes. My husband was trying to explain sarcasm to my 5-year-old. My 1-year-old was trying to "help" buy pulling things out of cabinets. It was nice to listen too. But I did eventually take a nap. It was great.

Just hearing my childrens' footsteps and voices, and thinking about their outreached arms made me sad for all the children throughout the world who don't have parents. To think that there is a toddler in a crib in an orphanage who is holding out their arms in hopes that someone will pick them up makes me sad that I can't pick them up myself.

I have great respect for those who choose to adopt a child. One family that I've been following is looking forward to meeting and bringing home a toddler from Vietnam. Their emotional plight has been chronicled on their website: Vietnam Addition. This is one child who will no longer have to compete for attention. When her arms reach out, wanting to be picked up, she will have a family to cuddle with her.

Happy Mother's Day!