This weekend people everywhere are honoring their Moms, their Grandmas and all the other fabulous women in their lives. When they got home from school yesterday, the kids were so excited about the goodies that they made for me that they couldn't wait until Sunday for me to open them. 

This is the card Sunshine made. These sweet things always make me tear up. I spent so many years filled with heartache wanting to become a Mom that these moments are extra special for me.

I love that I now have flowers that will never die.

How is this for a depiction of me that Jammer drew? I couldn't help but chuckle at the ruffled dress with the high heels and hubs thought the lips were a hoot. Truth be told that with my laid back job, I rarely wear dresses any more.

He even decorated the bag that my gift was lovingly wrapped in. Do you see the sewing machine and the quilt block, along with another tiara (I'll have to post the story behind that at some point) and the egg (which I happen to collect, another post about those soon)?

Here is the fabulous tile that he decorated for me with paint and the ends of a currogated box. How cool and such a great idea. You can see the bits of pattern the most around the edges.

Jammer said that it is for placing hot pots on but there is no way I'd ever use it for that. Instead I've decided to frame it and hang it in the kitchen where I can see and appreciate it every single day.

But it is 2 other women in my life that I think about a TON this time of year. No they aren't women that I've ever met and will never likely have the opportunity to do so but who are extremely important to my life. 

You see today is Birth Mother Day.

Most of you that aren't touched by adoption in some way probably aren't aware of this day. It is a celebration of all that these women have done for us adoptive parents but it is also a day of mourning for all that they miss out on. They will never receive the fabulous handmade gifts like those I received this year. They will wonder for the rest of their lives how their baby is doing. They won't know what they look like now and they will never know what sort of adult they will grow up to be.

We will never know the reasons why they couldn't parent my kids and had to make the choice to give them up for adoption but I will forever be grateful to them for it. Without them, I would have never been able to know the joy of being a Mom myself. Their pain and their sacrifice became my happiness. How can I not have a heavy heart because of that? I don't know how I would have done it if I had been in their shoes but it is truly the ultimate gift of a mother's love.

So today I ask that you too send out some love in the air to Birth Mothers everywhere in the hopes that they find some peace and if you know a birth mother in person, give her some extra special hugs. She deserves it. To the 2 women that carried and gave birth to my babies, may you feel deep in your heart that they are cherished more than anything on this earth and we hope that we do you proud to raise them to be happy and healthy and well loved.