Day 128

What a great day!! I was able to get all the PhotoStory stuff done (except for the music) and can get the DVD finished by Saturday (yahoo)!! It took a lot of time, but it was fun to look back and see how teeny tiny Gus was and the big boy that he is today. It's truly incredible how much he's grown this last year.

Today is Mother's Day! It's the first one that I have been able to celebrate as a mother. I had mixed emotions about today. Steve got up with Gus and let me sleep in-- I only slept until 9, but it was so nice! Then they came up and Gus gave me a little box and Steve said, "This is from both of us." When I opened the box, it was the most incredible gift.

It's a cuff bracelet that says, "Biology is the least of what makes someone a mother" and it's the most perfect thing ever. I got a little choked up because it's so true and means so much to me. For a while that quote was what I had listed on Facebook. So to have a bracelet... a gift from my husband and son... for my very first Mother's Day... it was overwhelming.

I was reading something on another blog that I follow and the author said it perfectly. She basically said that Mother's Day, Father's Day and Valentine's Day are exclusive holidays. Meaning that only some people can celebrate the day. It's so true and for the longest time, I yearned to be a mother and feared that I'd be childless forever. My greatest fear in life wasn't failure, or that I'd be alone... it was always that I wouldn't be able to have children. For that fear to become a reality was agonizing and scary. I can't begin to go back to the place where I was a few years ago where I cried all the time about it, and let it consume me. 

I've learned that you do NOT have to birth a child to be a mother. And just because you CAN birth a child, doesn't make you a mother. On the flip-side, just because you birthed a child and are no longer taking care of them- you ARE a mother. I think of how many of my former students called me mom on a daily basis. For some of them, I spent more time with them than their own parents did. For some, I gave more hugs, more attention, and more love and support than their parents did. There are thousands of teachers that provide more love and care to their students than some of their parents do. There are thousands of kids that have two parents and feel alone, neglected, and unloved. So just because someone CAN birth a child doesn't make them a mother.

I'm fortunate to have my mom still alive and apart of my life. I can't even think about what it would be like without her here on Earth. A mother is someone who cares for us, loves us, nurtures and protects us, and helps us see things inside ourselves that we didn't know existed. The minute I held Gus in my arms, I celebrated Mother's Day. Today was wonderful and I received so many nice messages of love and support, but I thought of his birth mom all day and at dinner we said a prayer of thanks for her.

Gus was a silly boy all day today. He's discovered a new face... let's see if you can point it out:

It cracks me up and he's such a turkey boy!!! Here are some other pictures from today:

Steve gave me another gift... he put the child safety latches on the cabinets. :)  Child-proofing the house is something that I've been asking him to do for a while and I'm grateful that he spent time today doing it for me.

For dinner, Steve grilled (to perfection) me  a T-Bone and then roasted potatoes and some fresh corn on the cob. It was so delicious... I was moaning as I ate and each bite was like butter melting in my mouth. To top it all off, he got me a DQ Cookies and Cream icecream cake. I've never had one... but holy smokes-- it was HEAVEN!!!!

Tonight, both of my brothers called me to wish me a happy Mother's Day. It was so thoughtful of them both to call me. Maybe it's "normal" but being my first Mother's Day, it was really special to have them both call me and chat. I miss them both and really look forward to the day that we're all able to get together again. It's the little things that I miss... and it's sad that as a kid you don't realize how precious the time is with your siblings. I miss the laughs and fun we all had when we lived under one roof.

Tomorrow we're going to the park in the morning and my friend Katie is going to take some pictures of Gus for me. I'm so excited... I can't even stand myself!!! Then I'm tutoring Gulbike tomorrow night and then Tuesday we've got a meet-n-greet at Wendy's and then Jen is coming over to babysit Gus while we go to opening night of Hair at the DPAC with Will and Adri!! We're meeting them for dinner and then going to the show together... I can't wait!!! Then Wednesday is Gus's first birthday! He's got a doctor's appointment in the afternoon... then Thursday night I tutor Gulbike again, and Friday Gus has a dentist appointment and Suzanne comes to clean. Saturday is his party and I can't wait!!! It's going to be a busy but fun week for us!!!

 

Gus's "potato soul patch"

See you tomorrow!!!

>^..^<