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While we were figuring out how, exactly, to build our family when “the old-fashioned way”  wasn’t working, few holidays were more tortuous than Mother’s Day. For those of you who won’t be celebrating Mother’s Day (yet)….this one’s for you:

This past week we have been working on the Mother’s day projects at school. . As one of my sweet girls was finishing hers up, she says,” I was thinking that maybe you would like a surprise for mother’s day. Would you like that?”

I smile and say,” But I’m not a mother!”

Sweet girl #2 says,” But you are married.” (Here we go again…..)

I then explain a few terms,” When you are married, you are a wife. You’re not a mother until you have a child.”

Sweet girl #1, ” So you don’t get a surprise on Mother’s day?”

As tempted as I am to put in a plug for a free gift, I clarify one more time,” I am not a mother. I’m a teacher, but not a mother. I am giving a present to my mother for Mother’s day, but I don’t have a child to give me a present for Mother’s day.”

“Oh. So you don’t need a surprise for that day?” askes sweet girl #1 for clarification.

“No.”

“Well, you are kind of like our mother,” says sweet girl #2.

Ah, but not so much as your own mother, I think to myself. I am a trusted caregiver yes, but not actually a mother. Not this year, anyway….

This post was originally published in May 2005 on Michelle’s personal blog, Gotchababy.