mothers' day

"I hate Mothers' Day," I unfairly text-messaged my brother.

Friday Eliza's class made mothers' day gifts. Silly question, for their moms of course. Eliza has had 2 moms since she started school. Every year she has asked her teacher if she can make 2 and every year they say they don't have enough for her to make 2. In this world of divorce and remarrying you would think the schools would be smart enough to realize that some children may feel a little troubled about choosing which mom to give it to. Last year I didn't realize she had wanted to make 2 until we were at my mother-in-laws. Eliza asked her Aunt Leslie to help her make something "crafty" because they made something "crafty" in school for their moms and they would only let her make one. This year, I was the one to pick her up from school and she was trying to hide the gift in her backpack. She wanted to surprise me, but not with that one. She made the one at school to take to her mom in Salt Lake and wanted to make me one similar to it. She mulled the weekend schedule over in her mind and realized she might not have time to ask her dad to help her with it before we went to Salt Lake so she asked me to help her. After I explained that her dad could help her, she tried to tell me that the one she made in school really was for me and, how funny, she tricked me. She explained how she thought it was funny that I thought she was talking about her other mom. Then, I found a part of the gift that was specifically referencing her mom and had to explain to her that she doesn't have to choose a mom for mothers' day. She ended up giving it to her mom, as she should have.

I don't hate mothers' day. I love being a mom. Eliza is so thoughtful and loving. I love my mom. I love my sister being a mom. I love my grandmas for being moms. I love buying gifts for these people and sharing my gratitude with them. I love mothers' day. I love sharing these times with Miss Eliza. I don't love the anxiety she feels over such a holiday. In the end, reassuring Eliza that she isn't choosing which mom she likes more and that I know she loves me too, somehow reassures me that I know she loves me as much as her other mom.