mother’s day.

Today is my favorite Mother’s Day yet. I was woken this morning by two little people next to my bed, who asked, “Do you want us to go have play time for awhile?”

Do I???

I overheard some shuffling and discussion during my shower over whether it is my birthday or Mother’s Day, and in the end, I was wished a happy both. It’s nice to have all the bases covered.

Next, we all got dressed and headed down the road to a fancy hotel for Mother’s Day brunch. Oh, it was exquisite.

Everything, all around me, was clean. It was quiet. There were soft colors and polished wood and smooth surfaces. It was restful.

And then, there was breakfast . . .

It’s difficult to describe how amazing this breakfast buffet was. It’s certainly unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.

And the staff was so kind. A five-star hotel, but they treated us like it was an honor to have two small, wiggly children there.

My Mother’s Day gift to myself was to eat anything I wanted . . . including gluten, including dairy. Hey, I’m already sick . . . why not?

My Mother’s Day gift to my children was to let them eat anything they wanted. Which was . . .

Honey loops.

Which they’ve eaten almost every week since we moved here.

I cried a little inside, but on the outside I smiled and said, “Sure thing!”

We were all very happy.

(Are you curious to know, with all the glutinous choices imaginable spread before me, what I chose today?

I started with crusty slices of rye baguette and an assortment of meats and cheeses. Next, I moved on to pecan waffles with fresh strawberry compote and thick Spanish bacon. There were rosemary infused potatoes and there was bread pudding. A sugary warm cream-filled pastry. And, to top things off, just a little more bread and cheese. Yep, I went all out. And I barely scratched the surface of the buffet line.)

I got homemade Mother’s Day cards! With notes inside! Without further ado . . .

From Judah (with prompts from Daddy):

My mommy’s name is Mother. She is 15 years old. Her job is to comb her hair and change Amie’s diaper. Her favorite food is ketchup and her favorite thing to do is to text. I love it when she works. I don’t like it when she burps. Mommy talks to me about everything like Jesus and work. God gave me a mommy because I love her so much. If I could tell mommy anything it would be to play hide and seek.

From Amelie:

My mommy’s name is Aunty. She is 3 years old. Her job is to go to the store. Her favorite food is pizza and her favorite thing to do is walking. I love it when she plays different things. I don’t like it when she gives spanks. Mommy talks to me about getting spankings. God gave me a mommy because she loves me. If I could tell mommy anything it would be different things.