A Mother’s Joy

Early in Austin’s cancer journey, when I first requested wishes to transcribe onto the stars dangling from his hospital room ceiling, several people mentioned “homemade cards” in their wishes. As in, “I wish you live long enough to make plenty of homemade cards for your mom and dad.” At that point in my parenting career, with Braedan only three-and-a-half, I hadn’t yet gotten many homemade cards, or at least not many that were more than scribbles and smudges.

But now that I’m seven and a half years into motherhood, I can attest to the special joy of the homemade card. The “Look, Mom, I wrote that myself!” or “See, I drew all four of us” with a headfooter father, mother, and two children, all legs and heads but no bodies.

It is the same joy that can be found in a smooshed handful of dandelions, given with pride and love. The gifts that in and of themselves mean nothing, but mean everything because of who they come from.

May all mothers know that joy. And may all children, those grown and not grown, continue to spread it.

Today’s Mother’s Day hike

I am one lucky mama.