Mother’s Day, 2021

Milestones, Parenting 3 Minutes

Growing up, Mother’s Day was all about making breakfast for my mom and then doing things like chores or other things she would like us to do for her that day or whatever else dad has cooked up. As I got older and I didn’t live at home any longer, it became more about making things and sending both presents and flowers to my mom. When I got married, Mother’s Day was a balancing act between what I habitually did for my mom and keeping things “equal” between my mom and mother-in-law, who once told my husband that she was pretty happy about how the gift giving had improved since I came into the picture. Once fertility was a struggle, Mother’s Day became an unnecessary reminder that I wasn’t able to get pregnant and then, when I had kids, Mother’s Day changed again to be a celebration of that oh-so-important status.

Outside of my first Mother’s Day in 2013, my favorite Mother’s Day was in 2015 when we brought our second son home from the hospital. Mother’s Day is now always within a day or two from his birthday in May and we are reminded of that happy day. I will also never forget the looks on my Dad and brother’s faces when I tandem breastfed my boys for the first time when I got home from the hospital that day — a highlight of the transition from a family of three to a family of four, but something that freaked them both out just a little.

When MBC became part of my life in 2017, Mother’s Day morphed once again. My kiddos are young, so they don’t do much in the way of celebrating without some prodding and interceding by adults, but the emotions are heartfelt. I’ve also gotten more thoughtful about my husband gifting me things that I won’t have sufficient time to enjoy or wear with the truncated life expectancy, so for the last few years, my husband’s gifts to me have been professional photo shoots. Taking pictures that will outlive me and to remind my boys that I was and am a part of their lives is just more significant now.

For 2021, we included my mom and returned to the photographer who has been taking our Christmas pictures for the last several years. Definitely a good idea!!

My mom and I, photo by Perfect Love Photography

Rosa with Perfect Love Photography gifted us the first set of Christmas pictures when we moved from Orlando to Miami and has been our go to for Christmas pictures ever since. When she included Mother’s Day minis as part of her repertoire again this year, I knew it was the right choice. Over the last year or so, my elder son has become a little less comfortable with a natural smile during these photo shoots — he’s so inside his head that he doesn’t relax the way his younger brother does, we think.

No photoshoot is complete without some pictures of tickling the boys!!
Just from his expression, you can see that this newly 6 year old kiddo is quite mischievous and utilizes his cheeky smile to get out of many a scrape.
He made me a mom and is always stretching and challenging me to be better than yesterday. Can’t think of anything I’d rather do than cuddle and share my heart with this young man.
Daddy helped with the focus and hilarity of this picture. There are lots of smiles, lots of belly laughs and FUN in our household — so much so that going to bed is often a big transition from the shenanigans.
Standing or sitting, these boys light up my life and keep everyone on their toes!!
These boys love their Grandma!!
The hammock untwisted unexpectedly and we thought we might be unceremoniously dropped on the ground, so it was such a relief to find ourselves still sitting and not in the sand. Definitely a good time for another giggle.
See, we can sit nicely!!

As so many of us moms, I find myself behind the lens much more often than in front of it. It IS important to ask those around us to take the pictures with us in it, even if we aren’t feeling so attractive that day or haven’t “done” our makeup. Our kiddos don’t care about those things, they care about us being there.

As it is often said, children spell love T-I-M-E.

A belated Happy Mother’s Day to all of you who celebrate. Children are truly a gift from God to be cherished, protected, and given the wings to soar. That is my fondest wish for these boys, that they will soar into the world to be exactly as God intended.

Published by Abigail Johnston

I'm a daughter, a wife, a mother, and I've been living with Stage IV Metastatic Breast Cancer since March, 2017. All of the words I publish are my own.

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50 thoughts on “Mother’s Day, 2021”

  2. Your urgency for creating beautiful memories for your precious boys is bearing much fruit, from special vacations to photo shoots; I know they will treasure these memories in their hearts. ❤️❤️❤️

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  10. Pingback: May 10, 2021 – Reblog : Mother’s Day, 2021 via Abigail Johnston – © Felipe Adan Lerma – All Rights Reserved – Blogging at WordPress Since 2011 :)

  15. Abigail Beautiful Pictures Wonderful Article You are a Wonderful Person You Handle so much with Grace so Happy I found your Facebook Group you make me Stop and Think while encouraging me at the same time I am Happy to call you my Friend and MBC Sister
    Sent to you with Love ❤️

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  24. Great photos of you and the kids, and I especially like the ones of you and your mother.

    We need to remind ourselves that Mother’s day is not a happy occasion for all people. It was assumed that the teacher would come up with some cute Mother’s Day project in elementary school. For many years I had students whose mother was no longer present in their life due because of incarceration or other disturbing reason.

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    1. Such a great reminder. As I’ve worked with foster children and now with those children who have lost their moms to MBC, I know that we have a long way to go in this. I do treasure the projects my kiddos have made for me but I know we can do better to ensure that no child feels left out. Thank you for this reminder.

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