Happy Mother's Day

Happy mother's day to all the mothers out there. I hope you enjoyed your day.

Personally I was treated to a wonderful day. From sleeping in a bit later to an early morning Latte and scone for breakfast. We headed to church where Ciaran sang in the choir - a beautiful song about moms and about God and they played bells - it was precious and touching.

After church the family surprised me with my mother's day gift. They had decided together to purchase me a tree, a sugar maple tree. This is the perfect gift for me and so meaninful and touching. Perfect in so many ways. This year we have studied Botany and learned so much about trees and come to appreciate them more. One of my favorite places in the arboretum and we have just really been enjoying trees. They are also something that grows and get stronger with age just like love and children.

So today we went out to look at trees and found a nice sugar maple but decided it was rather tall to transport on a windy day in our car so we went to look for a slightly smaller one. We ended up coming across one of our family's favorite trees, the Eastern Redbud - pictured above. Serona suggested getting three and planting them together, one for each child. I loved that idea and that is what we did. Deciding that we will still likely get a sugar maple in the future as well for climbing and syruping.

Three beautiful trees for three beautiful children. Gives a new meaning to putting down roots. I have planted a tree before on my college campus but never in my own yard and never like this. It is very special to me and I can not think of a better mother's day gift then to watch these three trees grow just as I watch my own children grow. Makes me feel some commitment to our home and land, which for someone who has moved a lot is a new and interesting feeling as well.

My family was so giving and generous with me today and I so thankful for them. I am honored with the privelage of parenting my children and having the opportunity to love and raise and homeschool them. I am so thankful to have Serona on this journey with me as we navigate the waters of parenting together I could not ask for a better person to be with me.

I feel appreciated and loved and cared for. I am so very blessed.