Mother's Day Memories

Happy Mother's Day! So many emotions on a day set aside specifically for moms. Sometimes it's an easy, relaxing day--maybe not as excessively perfect as the television commercials try to sell it, but special and sweet. Sometimes it's really hard, because those expectations reach so high and our communication skills reach so low. Sometimes you scrub toilets and sometimes you take a nap while the smell of lilacs drifts in on the breeze. Either way, the real blessing of Mother's Day isn't just about being thanked and honored (which of course is much appreciated :), but it's also about simply being a mom. That was my dream from the time I was young, to be married and raise a family (I even picked four children on all those little wish tests we did in junior high :) Especially being a mom to the four kids God has blessed me with--I couldn't ask for more! They're fantastic and they make being a mom a pleasant experience (96.5% of the time :) Having Buck to parent with is another blessing; my family is my favorite!



Today, Buck didn't have to work. I can't remember a year that he hasn't had to work on Mother's Day, probably since Gabby was born. Yesterday while we were at the commercial shoot, he snuck in all kinds of goodies for today's menu. He came upstairs in the morning with arms full of fresh mushrooms, bell peppers, tomatoes--it was omelet time, my favorite! Gabby made muffins, Brennen made bacon, and on the table was a sweet card from Graysen--and two half grown blueberry bushes (the fruit we previously planted is looking pretty much done for)!


We arrived at church just in time. I cried through the baby dedications (those foster/adopt stories hit my heart hard). We visited with friends--both new and old (who've come to the little church, too). Then we came home to take pictures by our blooming lilac bush! For the first three years, we didn't know it was a lilac. Last year it kinda bloomed, so we had our suspicions. This year--poof!! White blooms, so fragrant all over our mystery plant. Happy, happy me! Lilacs are my favorite.



After we'd changed from church clothes, Buck planted my blueberries and we watched the chickens run around for about half an hour. It started out rainy in the morning, but the weather perked up as the day went along. Buck decided to let Chauncey come up by the chickens when nobody was chained or behind a fence. He did minimal chasing, but I don't know if I'd say he made some new besties :) We certainly now have another trick for getting those girls to run straight for cover in their coop though!



For the rest of the afternoon, we contemplated the painting jobs we've been piling up outside--but mostly opted for naps. I started reading my new cookbook, hot off the presses, and reacquainted myself with the book series I really enjoyed in high school about King Arthur and Merlin. I've looked for years for copies of these books, and they've not been in print. I was pretty excited when Amazon suddenly had the whole set available--just in time for Mother's Day :) Only the first three seem familiar, so I must not have read the whole series. My summer is now set!

And I can't wait to wear the cute new sweater Buck gave me :) When we first saw my cousin Lauren in Michigan, she was wearing a sweater I'd saved on an Amazon wish list (she also bought it from Amazon). Buck had ordered me the other sweater I'd saved and thought he got it wrong, but I liked both! So funny that of the millions of clothing items on the web, my cousin and I would choose the same sweater--color palette and all. 

We didn't eat lunch, due to our late breakfast and plans for an early supper. So about mid-afternoon, when everyone was feeling snacky chocolate chip cookies suddenly sounded yummy. Brennen said, "I'll make you cookies, Mom!" And then he went straight for my new Magnolia cookbook :) I wasn't quite ready for it to be introducted to the kitchen (thinking of how spotted and food-stained my current collection is), so Brennen came up with the idea of just taking pictures of the pages and baking off of those--genius! :)



Caelan was impressed that Brennen had gathered all the ingredients and coordinating measuring cups and spoons before beginning the recipe--very methodical and thorough!

The cookies are delicious--maybe a little too delicious, they may not last until after Mother's Day :) Buck said that he used to bake chocolate chip cookies for  his mom when he was about Brennen's age. I'm a fan of keeping this tradition alive . . . no matter what age Brennen gets to be. "When your mom wants cookies, you make your mom cookies." Makes sense to me ;)



It was such a nice, relaxing day--just because everyone was here and chill and doing what they like to do. The boys played football with neighborhood kids, Gabby spent hours working on German language acquisition, Caelan played guitar, piano, and sang . . . just a really good day!


Buck made an amazing dinner! He soaked cedar planks in water on the deck, then grilled salmon on these in his Traeger. He steamed cauliflower and made asparagus; he sliced up some fresh garlic bread, and mixed up one of my favorite salads. He also presented me with a dish of long-stemmed chocolate dipped strawberries.

Thankful for my Crew, today and every day ♡