Mothers Day Reflections 2018

This Mother's Day I wanted to share an update to my post about solving my own mystery I did a couple of mother's days ago and share a few thoughts on what motherhood is like for me.

You may remember my post about discovering more about who I am and where my mother came from in my post on mothers day from 2015 (if not you can click here and see how it all started). Coles notes version here, for my 40th birthday I asked for a DNA test to learn about my heritage, my mother died in 2010 and she had been adopted at age 5, never knowing anything about her own history and never solving her own mystery, which is also my mystery. This gift has been the gift that keeps on giving. When I started the journey I had hoped to discover a bit about where my mother's ancestors came from and I was thrilled to learn I was 1/2 Irish/British. My mother all her life loved all things Irish and would have been so thrilled to learn she was Irish. I know for me it was a wonderful discovery. Flash forward now to 2010 and this truly is the gift that keeps on giving. While when I did the test I had no close matches, this past month and week I have made a very cool discovery, I have learned that my mother may have had a sibling! I found I have not too distant cousin who lives not far from me. This is one of the best gifts I could have ever gotten.

Growing up my own parents had 7 children, they also were foster parents to more than 30 kids. They had a "what's one more" policy.  My mother had a huge capacity for love and being a mother. Looking back I realize that my whole life I was raised not just to be a mother but to have the capacity to mother. Actually I think I am at my happiest when I get the chance to "Mother"

I am a mother to three biological sons but I feel like I have way more kids than that. I may not have found my financial calling in life but I do know that in the capacity of mother I answer that call. Truth is I find I am happiest when I am Mothering, to my boys, to my nieces and nephew, and to some incredibly special people in my life. There are a handful of those who I am not biologically related to but whom I can't help but mother, can't help but love.  They each hold a special place in my heart and in my life.  I am ever so grateful to have them in my life and will likely continue to mother them the best way I know how for the foreseeable future. I can't help it, it seems it is in my DNA. 

This mother's day I am grateful for the opportunity to be a mother sure, to have had a mother but this year it is the capacity of mothering that I realize I am most proud of.

Not everyone who mothers is called Mom, sometimes we are called Aunty, sometimes we are just called by our given names, but the love is the same. 

Some of my most favorite people just call me Karen.

To all you special mom's, grandmothers, aunts and special family friends who mother. I life my teacup to you all and I wish you and your families a very happy mothers day.
I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com