Two Mothers Day

Because of the proximity of Mother's Day and my birthday (tomorrow!), and because my wife and I are both mothers and find it difficult to both pamper each other and be pampered at the same time, we aren't big into celebrating Mother's Day around here. We haven't ever played it up with the kids or had them make things for us. And I was surprised, when I picked them up from school on Friday, to learn that they had made things for us in their classrooms. I had no idea that Mother's Day was a school-recognized celebration.

Luke's teacher handed me a bag (with a small potted plant in it) and a card and said, apologetically, "I suggested that Lukas make a gift for each of his moms, but he decided he'd rather just make one for you to share. "

"Yeah," Luke chimed in. "I could have made two, but I decided to just write an 's' on the end of 'Dear Mom' instead."

I opened up the card. Dear Moms, Happy Mother's Day! Love, Lukas. It made me smile.

Jaz eagerly handed me the card that he had made to go with his plant gift, "Look at the card I made for Mama!"

"You just made one, just for Mama?" I asked, feigning upset.

"Well, I didn't really want to make two?" Jaz explained, "and I just figured that Luke could make one for you, and I could make one for Mama."

"Except I didn't," interjected Luke, "I made one for both of them. That's what you should have done."

"It's all fine," I said, "the cards are beautiful." Apparently, making two cards for your two moms is just as difficult as celebrating your wife on Mother's Day, when you too are a mother, deserving of celebration.

We actually did get to go out on a date on Saturday night, an event so rare that I can't even remember the last time it happened. We went to a silent auction (I am a bit of a silent auction junkie, especially regarding the type of silent auction that includes beautiful, handmade offerings) to benefit the very sweet little school that Elijah and Aryeh (the sons of our friends, Katie and Aaron) attend. Lena's little brother, "Uncle Will" came to baby-sit and was surprisingly successful in getting all three of our children to sleep, an event so rare that I'm certain it's never happened before (seriously, bedtime is a two-person affair in our house and generally requires one set of lactating breasts). So when we got home, at 10:30 p.m., with our arms overflowing with lovely handmade goodness, and our hearts full of love for Katie and Aaron, and our minds rested from a night out, we did not have to put our three over-tired children to bed. Because they were already asleep. It was the best Mother's Day gift we could have gotten (thank you, thank you, thank you, Will!).

And then today, when Lena went to the store for strawberries and whipped cream (to top the waffles we planned to share with Katie and Aaron, not having gotten our fill of our beloveds the night before), she also surprised me and brought home roses. In her favorite color. Which also just happens to be my favorite color. Sometimes you can pamper your wife and yourself simultaneously.

Flowers from My Love

I was thinking, earlier today while painting with Luke, Jaz and Araela (my sister was taking her Mother's Day nap with Ezra, and my wife was taking her Mother's Day nap with Zeben), that it would be cool if we could turn Mother's Day into "Two Mothers Day" in our house. You know, just take a day to really celebrate all that is wonderful about being a part of a two-mom family. Like having the option of just adding an 's' to the name of one of your parents, and thus instantly be addressing both of your parents. Or being able to borrow your wife's bella band when yours is in the wash. Or letting one of your moms take a nap, but still having another mom available to do a painting project with you. And being able to buy your wife her favorite color of roses, and have them be your favorite color of roses too. In all seriousness, there is lots to celebrate, and while we all certainly feel glad about this being the family we're in on a daily basis, I do think we could use a once-a-year-reminder about just how lucky we are.

Maybe this beautiful new book by Patricia Polacco could become the "T'was the Night Before Christmas" of our new Two Mothers Day holiday:

Next year! Spread the word! Join the "Two Mothers Day" revolution!