Mother's Day 2015. The forecast for the day did not look promising, showers off and on, cool, cloudy. Not my choice for weather and I love being outside, so hearing a forecast like that can put a damper on my spirits. The day started out just like that, got great in the middle and then ended just like they said, with a big downpour!
However the highlights as always were time with family, great meals and watching Grace get up to all her antics! I thank God, not often enough, that I have been blessed with such a spunky, beautiful little girl. She has a personality as big as a house and a heart to match it! I feel blessed and honoured to be the one chosen to take care of her. Some days I do a better job than other days but my love and in the end my commitment to her never changes. Every Mother's Day I'm reminded of a quote by Jody Landers. "A child born to another mother calls me mom. The depth of that tragedy and the magnitude of that privilege are not lost on me"
So, to get on with more light-hearted thoughts... here are the highlights!
Started the day with church. We went to a church close to my school so when we arrived I was greeted with lots of young smiling faces of my students. The entrance procession was just about to start so I stuck Grace in the line and hoped for the best. The children were supposed to bring up flowers for Mary and then return to their seats. I stood waiting while Grace confidently went up to the altar with her carnation. I lost sight of her for only a few seconds but I wasn't worried. I had paired her up with one of my grade 4 students so was confident that the student, F, would return her to me. That's about when I saw F. walking back to her parents sans Grace! So here I was, standing in the aisle, trying to wave to F. discretely and get her attention, hands up in the air like "Where is she??" when who should start walking up the aisle from the back of the church? My monkey! She had done it all by herself, gone back to where she started and was wandering up the aisle looking for us!
Later on during the Mass, Father calls the young children up and hands out flowers to be given to all the mothers in the church. So up she went again. She was supposed to come back with one or two flowers, maybe one for me and Grandma or Carolyn, at the most. Grace walked proudly down the aisle, fistful of flowers in her hand, proclaiming in her happy loud voice "Mommy, I got lots!!!" A small wave of smiles and quiet chuckles spread throughout the congregation and there she was, my front and centre girl holding up a big bouquet of carnations, trying to scramble over Grandpa to get back into the pew! Never a dull moment with this kid!
After Mass, we stayed for coffee and donuts, Grace had her share, and then headed out to Grandma and Grandpa's for a visit. The rest of the weekend was less eventful but just as fun, playing outside with the cousins, BBQ, a swim and of course the traditional picture taking moments.
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| Here's Grace preparing Grandma's gift. She totally enjoyed painting Grandma's hand, even if Grandma didn't! |
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| Even more though, she enjoyed chasing Grandpa with Grandma's blue painted hand!!!LOL |
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| Taking a ride on Grandpa's Gator |
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| Grace is proud to show off her "angry face" these days! Not sure where she would ever get the idea for that!LOL |
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| Sneaking a cookie break |
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| Waving good-bye to Carolyn's family from the front porch |
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| Goofing around with Grandma's gift |
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| Loving her Daisy |
