all wet

I was originally going to write about how sad and lonely I felt on Mother's Day. My husband had been away on a rare work-related trip and I really missed that sweetness of obvious planning to do something for me, like when the kids bring me a gift or Zoe insists on bringing me toast and juice so I can have breakfast in bed. Honestly, all of the mothers I know do not really "want" for anything and any gift is considered truly special and I am so happy for all of them who had a remarkable day celebrating all they do. I was feeling kind of "woe is me" about the whole day until I saw these pictures. I actually wouldn't even look at them because I really felt sad about the day. I was at the end of a four-day, by-myself-with-the-kids journey that included, dance lessons, a funeral visitation for a childhood friend, my car breaking down, having to get it fixed, getting a rental car so I wouldn't be trapped at the repair shop with kids all day, a sick 2 1/2 year old, the dreaded grocery shopping as well as all my other chores, when it rained on Mother's Day. I couldn't believe it. How could it be raining? All I wanted to do was take the kids to the park and let them go crazy while I sat on a bench and just breathed. After a few hours of hoping it would stop, I said "forget it, put on those rainboots, we're goin' outside." I sat in the garage on a lawn chair and they played like there was no tomorrow. Who knew splashing in puddles and writing on wet cement with the sidewalk chalk could be so fun? I had time to reflect while they were playing and I said a few silent thank you prayers for the gifts of these two beautiful children. Seeing these pictures makes me so glad we had this time together, no big to-dos about taking me out to eat, no elaborate gifts, no breakfast in bed, just me and them. Isn't that what Mother's Day is all about anyway?