Mothering Sunday

A day historically that those "in service" were allowed a day off to return to the church of their youth, this would also mean an opportunity to visit their families and they would often collect wild flowers on their way home to give to their mothers. Today if we are not careful it can be another day led by retailers after a quick financial hit, encouraging us to feel guilty if we do not purchase huge bouquets of flowers, boxes of chocolates or lunches out.

In our house Mother's Day means a lie in, homemade cards and home made gifts. We are off for Dim Sum for lunch and meeting my parents there.  We love this particular Chinese, it's always busy and noisy, full of families, fast noisy talking and lots and lots of fantastic food. The staff take young children ducking around the tables in their stride.

I love this day, it's an excuse to be a little lazy and still enjoy the time with my children, these days though it's always tinged with a little sorrow. Here I sit spending time with my gorgeous child 4, he has made me a card with a cupcake case flower on the front and a gift of a pot with straw flowers that sits on the top of the chest in the hallway. I am the one that receives the cuddle and kisses in the morning.  He is not old enough yet to ask questions of his past or understand that his history is different to that of his older siblings, so shows no behaviours that I need to be concerned about. I know that this may change in the future, that he maybe confused by this history and frustrated or angry when celebrating Mothers Day as I know other adopted children are, can you blame them? But for now our household is pretty much unaffected it's just that......

Not all that far from here, a young woman will be sitting in her kitchen, she will have seen the adverts in the shop windows all shouting about Mother's Day and how wonderful mothers are, how they are worth the flowers, the chocolates and the lunches out, but her baby was taken from her and she doesn't know where he is, she knows or at least hopes that he is safe and happy but she won't be receiving homemade cards or gifts. She will be alone thinking of the what could have been or should have been. It's unlikely that she will be able to accept her responsibility in the removal of her child, or that of her husband but she will wish I am sure that he is home with her today.