Motherhood Vignettes: A Mother’s Day Week Tribute #5

What a fantastic week of Mother’s Day tributes! Thank you so much for sending in your Vignettes, for your comments, shares and likes! I have been so blessed by them and I know the women in your life that deserve to be celebrated this Mother’s Day have been too!

As we wrap up this series and begin preparing for the weekend, I want to recap the different kinds of mothers we have thanked.  We’ve honored the women in our lives that are as dear to us as sisters, those who may be a bit older that stepped into a mothering role when our own mother was unavailable, the one or more dear friends who feel our joys and sorrows and cry right along with us and those who mother the ones we love, like our children and others dear to us.

And then there are our own, traditional mothers: biological, adoptive, birth, foster, step, in-law and of course, grand. I’d like to take a moment and give a shout-out to those women who are recognized as our “real” moms and think of a new way to pay them tribute this Mother’s day.
I know I have several to be thankful for. First of all, my own mother, Rebecca. We have always had a special, close relationship and it has been a joy to grow up and watch her cultivate that same, precious relationship with my three young children. Also, my mother-in-law, Beki, has always been tender and loving to me and a fantastic grandma to our children. This sweet woman is now in advanced-stage Huntington’s Disease and we savor every moment we have left with her. And lastly, my stepmother-in-law (if that is an actual word!), Cheryl. I am awed by her strength, resolve and deep compassion. She is also the best hostess when we stay with them and loves my husband and our children as if they were her own flesh and blood.
All three of these woman, my moms, have enriched my life, inspiring and motivating me to be a better mother and woman and I am so very thankful for them this Mother’s Day!

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Finally, before we end the series, I want to give you one last opportunity to share a vignette or tribute to your own, traditional mothers in your life. Please feel free to write in the comments about them. They may be biologically or legally your mother, or just someone else you feel should be honored on this special day.

Thank you for your readership and sharing this week and HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

 

Motherhood Vignettes: A Mother’s Day Week Tribute #4

So far in the Vignette series this week, we’ve honored the women in our lives that are as dear to us as sisters, those who may be a bit older that stepped into a mothering role when our own mother was unavailable and the one or more dear friends who feel our joys and sorrows and cry right along with us.

But what about those women who have taken on the job of mothering those we love, like our children? Our spouse? Or even someone else dear to us?
Sometimes watching someone love the people you care most for, feels almost as if they are loving on you. Do you have a godmother picked out for children? Have a favorite babysitter, aunt, grandmother or someone else who loves and cares for your children as if they were their very own offspring? I know I do and I am so blessed knowing that whenever I need help or childcare, those women co-mother with the same nurturing and tender care that I do (and frankly, sometimes even better!). Moreover, if something ever happened to me, I rest in the comfort of knowing that my children would still have a host of mothers to love them like I would!
Has there been a special woman in your spouse’s, sibling’s, parent’s or friend’s life that you have watched fill a mothering need for them? A stepmother? A mentor? Or even perhaps a  caregiver? Motherhood can present itself in so many different ways than the traditional, but whenever or however it meets those needs in someone, it is precious and should be celebrated!

Please feel free to share in the comments a tribute to the women who have in the past or still continue to mother your children, spouse or other loves ones. They may not be their biological or legal mother, but they deserve to be honored on this day, just the same!

 

Motherhood Vignettes: A Mother’s Day Week Tribute #3

A Tribute to My Fellow Crier – Tracy’s Vignette

Sitting next to the pool while the swimsuit-clad children take their lessons, I talk to Melissa. Originally just another lady from a mom’s group, Melissa has turned into a dear friend. There are a good many things I adore about her; her impeccable style for one, but beyond all of them, the thing I love most about her the is her tears. She is genuine; allowing herself to feel things and her emotions manifest in tears. I love this about her because it is proof of her sincerity. She is the real-deal. And I also love this about her because I am the same way.

We each have two children, at about the same ages. We find camaraderie in the similarity of our situations. We talk about life and motherhood, with both its pleasures and challenges. A few years ago our oldest children were entering kindergarten at the same time. We both agonized over the prospect of losing our full-time boys to full-time school. We cried together just a few moments after we dropped them off on their first day. Throughout that year our bond only grew closer and our fears turned into confidence.
And now, here we are again; faced with sending our youngest to kindergarten. It wouldn’t be truthful to say that there haven’t been a few tears shed over this, and I am certain that there are more to come. It was so hard with our firsts and now it is so hard because these are our lasts!

But I can rest assured because I know that whatever may come, Melissa will be there. She will listen. She will talk. And we will cry. She is my fellow crier. I love us just the way we are.

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Who is your “fellow crier?” Can you think of that dear friend who has stuck by you through joys and trials and laughed and cried with you through them? Say thank you to her right now! Give her a shout out in the comments below and of course be sure to like, share and tag her in this post so she will see it!

 

Motherhood Vignettes: A Mother’s Day Week Tribute #2

Empty-Nest Mamas – Rachel’s Tribute Vignette

In 2005 my young family made a big move to a new state. We had no job, two friends in the entire area and were clinging to God’s promise that not a single sparrow falls without His knowledge. Trusting Him to care for our every need, we continued in an interview process for a part-time pastoral position in a local church. Mere days after our arrival and the night before my oldest daughter was to start Kindergarten, we met with church leadership for one of several interviews.

That was the evening I met my flock of sister-mamas. The elders and their wives shared a BBQ and then the “men-folk” went off somewhere quiet for my hubby’s formal interview. I carefully tried to remember each woman’s name and the husband with whom she belonged. Becky’s home had just sold and she was moving nearby. We had both just survived the crazy housing market. Stephanie possessed a gentleness to which I was immediately drawn. Kim served the church as a compassionate counselor. Gail shared my love of thrift-shopping, most definitely a solid foundation for our future friendship. Candy was a labor and delivery nurse, and I just LOVE people who work with pregnant mamas. Linda ministered to women, which was my deep passion. Elaine and Annette were vibrant and engaging and hospitable and, well, just plain cute. Kathy was the church secretary and recorded everything at elder meetings with care and discretion – a gifted listener. Bernietta was on the search committee and gave the firmest hugs that warmed me to my toes. ALL of them were mamas. Some of them, recent empty-nesters, or a few short years from launching their chicks.

None of us could have foreseen the challenging year that lay before us that warm summer evening. Yet what comes most readily to my heart when recalling this season is a deep gratitude to God for placing these beautiful women in my life. In the following months and years, each of these women made room for me in their hearts. They “mothered” or “grandmothered” me tenderly during a season when I was away from “home” and needed their nurturing encouragement.

Some day in the future, when my own babies have flown the nest, testing their wings, and by God’s grace soar into His future for them, I want to follow the lead of these sister-mamas. I hope, like them, I will pause to reflect on my years with the busy, hungry, precious brood that God’s allowed me to nourish and prepare for flight. And then, may I wipe away the inevitable tears and re-feather my nest to welcome younger sisters who might just be in need of some motherly affection, guidance and love.

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Do you have one or a few “Empty-Nest Mamas” that stepped into a mothering or sister role for you when you were far from home or just needed that kind of relationship with an older woman that WASN’T your own mom? Please feel free to share about it or them in the comments and give them thanks this Mother’s Day week!

 

Motherhood Vignettes: A Mother’s Day Week Tribute #1

In a week we will celebrate Mother’s Day by thanking our mothers and our grandmothers while those of us with children will revel in gifts, brunch, sappy cards or, in my case, getting out of town with 13 of my dearest mom friends to spend two nights NOT being moms.

But, in all honesty, what each mom REALLY wants is not a gift, brunch or sappy card and maybe not even a weekend away from husbands and kids. They want to know and hear from those they love most that they are appreciated. But what about the other women in your life that may not be your biological or legal mother or grandmother? Are there women who have stepped into that role when you needed nurturing and motherly love when your real mother was unavailable at the time? Perhaps you witnessed someone take on that job in the life of your own child, spouse or friend. No matter the person, no matter the length of time they filled that mothering need, they were like a mother and should be celebrated on this Mother’s Day, as well.

Those are the women, those are the STORIES I want to share this week.
M2M is open every day this week for your unfiltered, unorthodox tributes to any and every mentor, sister, mother or grandmother that has been significant in your life or for someone you love.

For a featured tribute, please contact me at wynterkaiser@gmail.com and I will give you a whole day’s post to announce your appreciation to them. Or, if you’d rather, please feel free to comment, like, tag, share, etc. your tribute to her here and in each day’s feature tribute as well. Let’s show these often unacknowledged women just how much they mean to us this Mother’s Day!

My Tribute to the “Sisterhood”

To the aforementioned group of women that I will be celebrating Mother’s Day getaway weekend with. My “sisterhood,” as we call ourselves. Rachel, Hannah, Katie, Lana, Lina, Jessi, Jill, Jenn, Michelle, Suzi, Molly, Megan, Margaret, Carolyn and our newly inducted members, Beth and Lisa.
Six years ago I was a new, stay-at-home mother with few friends and a lot of time to kill during the day. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVED spending time with my baby girl. She was my everything and we did lots of fun things together in and outside the home. But there was something special about having a group of women who also had young children at home to meet with once a week, even if it was only for two hours of coffee, snack and idle, superficial conversation. After awhile, those barely-acquaintance relationships grew stronger and deeper, more open, authentic and raw. Over the years, some of these women have moved away from our area, some have experienced big, heart-wrenching changes and losses, but all of that has only bonded us tighter together until this group of women, our “sisterhood,” has become nothing short of my lifeline as a stay-at-home mom.

We made it a point, four years ago, to take an annual trip together and while not all of us can make it each year, our friendships remain firm and we have been blessed to add new friends who sweeten our sisterhood all the more. Of course, it has taken time to feel like I know each of these women well and I am always surprised at the new things I learn when I get one-on-one time with each of them, but I can honestly say that if I were plopped into a room with just one, any one, of them, we would have plenty to talk, laugh and cry about!

So, thank you, sisters, my dear friends. I cherish each one of you so much and am so thankful to be a part of such a fantastic group of women. I don’t know where my life would be today if I didn’t have each of you in it. What we have is special, rare and I pray that it continues for many, many more years to come!

            

                                        Seaside, OR 2010                                                                Silverton, OR 2011

              

                                     Sunriver, OR 2012                                                              Long Beach, WA 2013

Do you have a special, “sisterhood” group of women or even just one or two close girlfriends that you rely on like this in your life and whom you would like to pay tribute to this Mother’s Day? I would love to hear about them! Please feel free to give them a shout out in the comments below and of course be sure to like, share and tag them in this post so they will see it!

And stay tuned, tomorrow I will post another Motherhood Vignette Tribute!

 

 

A Call for Motherhood Vignettes: Mother’s Day Tributes!

Mother’s Day is only three weeks away and I’ve got something really special planned here at M2M. But, before I spill the beans, I just want to give a HUGE shout-out and thank you to all the brave, inspiring and heroic moms who have already shared their amazing stories of motherhood. I am so honored to be able to give them a voice and a platform to do it. And for my faithful readers all over the world, thank you for your support and continued readership and for helping me get the word out about this project. I have been amazed at the outpouring of support and interest in the blog in only four short months! Let’s keep it going! There are so many more diverse and inspiring stories of motherhood out there and I cannot wait to share them as well. If you want to share yours, please please PLEASE email me at wynterkaiser@gmail.com, I would love to talk with you!

Okay, here comes the bean-spilling…If you are one of those who have thought, “what kind of story do I have to share?” Or “I don’t know what to write about!” Well, I want to give you the opportunity to participate in my upcoming Mother’s Day Week series, Motherhood Vignettes: A Tribute to Moms. From Sunday, May 4 through Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 11, I will be posting your short tributes to the women that you have observed stepping into a mom role in your or someone else’s life. And, to make it REALLY interactive, I’ll also be opening up the comment sections in each post for even more tributes!

Here at Made to Mother, it is no secret that I strongly believe a woman can exhibit the loving, mentoring and nurturing traits of motherhood toward anyone around them, not just those that they are legal or biological mother to. Sometimes it is when we need a mother, grandmother or sister that another women, friend or stranger, can offer. Sometimes we see it right in front of us when another woman steps in and fills that role in our children’s, spouse’s or friend’s lives. Sometimes it is for a brief moment and sometimes it’s for a longer season. Sometimes she knows how influential she was on us, or maybe she had no idea. No matter the details, it doesn’t take 2000 words to tell this kind story. It can just be a heartfelt sentence or two to describe your appreciation to that woman who filled a need for love, mentorship or nurturing in your or another’s life. This is a tribute to those women. This is a Motherhood Vignette. And I want to share yours!

Please send your vignette tribute, in 250 words or less, to me at wynterkaiser@gmail.com with “Motherhood Vignette” in the subject or get ready to open up in the comments here 5/4-5/11 and let that woman know just how much you appreciate her this Mother’s Day!