As a mom…of course I love Mother’s Day! I have to wait 362 days until the next one, but that doesn’t mean I can’t talk a little bit more about the holiday…

In America, Mother’s Day was first celebrated in 1907 at the initiative of Anna Reeves Jarvis, who organized the first Mother’s Day service of worship after her mother passed away. Although Mother’s Day initially was seen as a liturgical service, it quickly became commercialized and by the 1920’s Hallmark Cards and similar companies had started to sell Mother’s Day cards, which led Mother’s Day to become the commercialized version it is today

Commercialization aside, Mother’s Day is still a special day, where we pause to think about our mothers and those who have shaped our lives. For me that does not just mean my own mother, I have an ex-mother-in-law, aunts, a new mother-in-law and my girlfriends’ mothers, who have all stood by me through the years and helped shape me into the person I am today, and for whom I am forever grateful.

Whether our children share our DNA or not, they are our greatest works and gifts to the world. As mothers, we always strive to do our best and at times the expectations can be overwhelming as we battle work and home life. “Supermom” is not a title I ever aspired to attain, but it is that perfect image which haunts most moms. However, no mother is perfect, and as all the best moms know motherhood can’t be done alone. We need our tribe of mom friends and family to lean on. The saying “It takes a village” rings true in every way when it comes to raising your offspring and looking after your family.

My family is blended. I am a mother of three children that I share with my ex husband, and I am a stepmother to my fiancé's three children from his previous marriage. The dynamics of a blended family on Mother’s Day can be a fine balance, where stepchildren feel torn as to whom they should spend their time with. In our family, my ex-husband planned a Mother’s Day for me together with my three biological children and my fiancé. My step children were, of course, invited as well, but with no pressure to join, so that they freely could choose with whom they wanted to spend the day, and without feeling like they let one of their ‘moms’ down. Hearing the stories of some of my friends, who also juggle blended families, I consider myself blessed to have a healthy relationship with my ex. He and my fiancé get along well, which allowed my Mother’s Day to be about having a good time together as the crazy and loving blended family that we are. My children, fiancé and ex husband treated me to a wonderful lunch in the country with beautiful surroundings right by an idyllic slow flowing river. We spent the day enjoying each other’s company and exploring the area. I would have to say that it was the most perfect Mother’s Day any mother could ever have asked for!

Mother’s Day Reflections