Mother's Day 2010...

I had a good mothers day but oddly enough it had very little to do with me being a mother (although that's great). Sunday was my last day at my internship site and so I was responsible for planning the service and preaching. Because I've been through infertility I am more than aware that Mothers day is not a happy day for everyone. For some it is a reminder of loss due to infertility, miscarriage, infant or child loss or even the loss of ones own mother.

I don't think these realities are upheld enough in our churches. These things simply aren't named and I desperately wanted to acknowledge that I knew and understand this reality. So I placed flowers on the alter in memory and in honor of all those who are saddened on mothers day. I lifted up those women and recognized that pain, and then in my sermon I told my story of PPD. I told a story about the lack of compassion that women have for other women. The amount of judging the silencing that happens in our churches and our communities because we are afraid of being ridiculed. I spoke about my own journey to motherhood. One that did not come easily. It was not easy to get pregnant, it was not easy to stay pregnant, and then it was not easy to mother the babies in the midst of anxiety and PPD.

I spoke these realities because I think it's important that we lift up the many struggles that woman face. As part of the service I used this prayer.

 Leader: Today we give thanks for mothers.

All: For loving nurturers and strong providers.

Leader: For mothers who birthed us, for mothers who raised us, mothers of birth and of choice.
All: For stepmothers and adoptive mothers and all those who have a mothering role in our communities. We give thanks.

Leader: For mothering energy in all its sources, from women, from men.
All: For the Creator God who is mother to us all—we give thanks.

Leader: Today we give thanks, we give praise—and we remember the dangers of motherhood.
All:  Giving thanks is not enough. We must do more to protect mothers here at home and around the world.

Leader: So many die in childbirth. So many more become sick or injured during pregnancy.
All: Give us strength, O God, to do all we can, to protect these most vulnerable women.

Leader: We think not only of mothers we know, mothers in our family, in our community.
All: In this our global family, every woman is my sister. Every woman, even those whose name and face I will never know, is my sister, a fellow child of God.

Leader:  For every woman who dies while bringing new life into the world—who dies because she could not access medical care.
All: Am I my sisters’ keeper?

Leader: For every infant life that ends too soon, due to lack of health care. For the pain of that mother’s loss.
All: Am I my sisters’ keeper?

Leader: For every woman who wishes to be a mother but cannot. For every woman who does not have the resources to have a healthy pregnancy and to care for the children she already has.
All: Am I my sisters’ keeper?

Leader: We are our sisters’ keepers. We are the hands of God, the work of the divine in the world.
All: We give thanks to our mothers, by praying and working for the safety of mothers and future mothers throughout the world.

Leader: Creator God, Mother and Father—protect and watch over mothers. Give your strength and protection and love to all who give a mother’s love to those in their family or their community.
All: Loving God, keep mothers safe. And give us the strength to work to ensure that all who wish to bring life into the world can do so in safety and joy.

Leader: Am I my sisters’ keeper?
All: I am my sisters’ keeper!     

 The Sermon was very well received and one of the best moments for me was when a woman who was probably 60 or 70 squeezed my hand and said, "You're sermon brought back memories of my own struggles with motherhood." I felt the service encompassed the message and tone I was trying to convey for mothers day.

Me and my supervisor after the service.

My Cake (and John's too)

John (The intern from last year) me and the pastor cutting the cake.

After church the babies and I took off for Massachusetts to go to an engagement party for some of our close friends from school. (Marcus had to stay home due to a school project obligation, boo for school). We had a great time at the party.

The newly engaged couple Lydia and James with Emerson. (Lydia is Eli's godmother).

More friend enjoying their lobster. (The food was amazing everyone got their own lobster, plus there was chicken, steak, and clams. It was a feast).

Eli with Sara (Emerson's Godmother).

The group from our graduate school that traveled up for the party, among the best friends I have ever had. I am so sad to leave them in a few weeks. 

We got home around seven and the babies exhausted but I was greeted by Marcus with flowers and an adorable card from the babies that said, "This mother's day card is from both of us. One Card, twice the love! ... half the cost." It was adorable that Marcus spent so much time finding a card from both the babies. And then Eli and Emerson each scribbled something in the card with a marker. My other gift is a bracelet that hasn't arrive yet. It has a story behind it that I will share once it arrives.

All in all it was a great day.