Mother's Days

Sarah at Smallworld is inviting people to share "Monday Memories." So here is one of which I am quite fond.

The first Mother's Day after I was married, my Grandmother-in-Law phoned me to wish me a happy one. I had no children at the time. She said "It's your first Mother's Day, and not a mother yet. Well, better luck next year!"

A rather odd comment, perhaps, but she did not mean it unkindly. She was just anxious for a great-grandchild.

The second Mother's Day after I was married, I was 7 1/2 months pregnant and the Great-Grandmother-to-be was gravely ill. I am sure I spoke with her in the days after my boy's birth but I don't remember. I do remember that my in-laws asked that we try to come visit as soon as we could. Traveling cross-country with an infant was a little daunting, but we got vaccinations done and the doctor's OK, and off we went when he was 8 weeks old.

We had a long plane flight and a long drive. But when we arrived at her house, she was awake and waiting for us. She sat up in bed and held out her arms for the baby. She looked at the baby and then at her grandson and said "Well, I guess you've got it all now, don't you?"

We had a few short visits with her and took some photos before we left a few days later. Shortly after we returned home, she died. We knew she had been waiting to see that baby, her great-grandchild.

We tell our kids that story every Mother's Day. I still have to smile every time I think of it.