Happy Mother's Day!!!

A great day!
One of the activities we took part in today was miniature golf...

Tate had a blast!!!

Oh.My.Goodness.
My heart aches for this little man!
Love is not a powerful enough word to describe what I feel for him...

I think about so many things on Mother's Day. Things that I never used to think of before I was a mother. It makes me feel so differently about this "holiday" than I used to. Also, being an adoptive mother makes me feel not only joy and love, but pain and also a gratefulness that is indescribable. I think of all of the other mothers I know and love...my siblings, in-laws and dear friends, Tate's birth mother and birth grandmothers. I also think of the mothers out there who have lost children and pray for them as I know that today is not a happy day for so many.

I am so honored to be in the presence of so many amazing mothers I know. I hope you have all had an amazing day! I learn different things from each of you and you have all helped me to become a better mother. Thank you!

I think often of Maggie, Tate's birthmother. I will never be able to thank her for giving me the gift of being a mother. For being Tate's first mom and caring for him as he grew inside of her for 9 months and then caring for him for 2 days after he was born, for loving him so much that she wanted more for him than she felt she could give at that time. Thank you is not enough, it never will be. And it's painful for me to know that she had to go through something so difficult for me to have this dream of being a mother. It's so painful for me to know that Tate may never know her. It's painful to think that there is the possibility that Tate may not truly understand how much she loves him. I pray he does understand that someday. I truly love Maggie and have never even met her or spoken to her. I see her everyday when I look into the eyes of my amazing son.

And Mother's Day also gives me a new appreciation for MY mom! I never knew how much my mom loved me until I had a child of my own. Now that I feel that love for him I realize that is the love my mom feels for me! I'm not often enough the daughter that I should be to her, but feeling the love I have for Tate helped me feel a different and more intense love for her too! And to see the love she has for my sweet Tate is so awesome!
I love you Mom!!!

My heart is so full tonight!

You would think that I would have ended up with at least 1 photo of me with my boy! Ha. The problem is, Sean has no idea how to use my new camera! :) It's okay, I am not a fan of getting my picture taken anyway.

We spent the evening in Muscatine with my mom and sister and her family. We ordered Mexican out and just hung out. It was a great day and night!

Happy Mother's Day to Sean's mom, Linda too! We wish we could have seen you today to tell you in person, but hope you had a great day and look forward to seeing you soon! We love you!