Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother’s Day to all of you moms out there! I hope that you are getting to spend your day with those who graced your lives and enabled you to become mothers. I am so thankful for my three! Even though they couldn’t all be here, I’m very blessed with their love (as well as their thoughtful and much appreciated gifts).

We celebrated a day early, since I really don’t like facing the restaurant crowds at lunchtime on Mother’s Day. We drove to FW and had lunch with Sheila and Nam. It was an extra special day, since this is Sheila’s first Mother’s Day to be a mom. Nam gave her the little wall hanging of his handprint that we made, as well as a Willow Tree that matches the ornament that he loves so much of “Momma and Nam”.  That kid loves my Willow Tree collection, so I wanted him to be able to enjoy having one at their house. He loves to look at them and ask, “Who’s that? What they doing?” A day doesn’t go by that he doesn’t go through our family, wanting to talk about how we are all related, and how we all became a family. Now that he has discovered our wedding album, he loves to go through it and talk about our marriage. He also loves to point to our wedding rings and my “mother’s ring” and ask us about their meaning. I know I’ve said it on numerous occasions, but that kid truly LOVES family!

We also celebrated Sheila and Nam’s 6 month anniversary this past week. It fell on the night that they normally sleep over at our house, so we had a special dinner of pho, stir-fry and egg rolls. It is hard to believe that a half-year has already gone by since Nam’s adoption! Even though his presence in our day to day life feels normal, now, I still find myself watching him with amazement from time to time. I am so thankful that God provided this incredible little guy for Sheila to adopt! He adds so much joy and life to our days. His progress is phenomenal. His pronunciation is still difficult to understand at times, and his grammar still has a ways to go, but his vocabulary and comprehension are probably either on target for his age, or slightly advanced. And he always finds a way to communicate so that he can be understood! (He is quite good at pantomiming!) He has such a loving and curious nature, and is SO cute, that he wins hearts wherever he goes! He can still be a little toot at times, but what 4-year-old boy isn’t? I love watching him learning about God’s love, about being kind, about showing respect to others, about trust and fidelity, and all of the other things that children normally learn from infancy. He is getting a late start in many areas, but he is soaking it in and making SO much progress! It is a privilege to be involved in this process and have a “front-row seat” to watching him blossom in his mother’s love and care!

Being a mother has always been my greatest desire and my most enjoyable "job"...up until I gained the new role of granny, that is. Each of my kiddos holds a very special place in my heart. Stephen, my firstborn, who taught me how to be a mother. Sheila, my daughter and my best friend. Ricky, my "baby" who has so much love and compassion in his heart. Jesse, who gave me the much anticipated and highly enjoyable role of being a granny. Shepherd, who broke my heart with his beautiful, sad eyes and later mended it with his amazing smile. Nam, who fills my days and heart with sunshine. And finally, little miss Gracie, my granddaughter that I can't wait to get to know. I am beyond blessed!

Praise ye the LORD. Praise, O ye servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD…He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD. (Psalms 113:1-9 KJV)