How many MOMS do you have?

How many Moms do you have? This is the question that filled my mind today on my first Mother's Day with 3 children. Since we do not yet have the technology to grow babies to full term in jars, we all have a First Mom. A First Mom is the mom who carried us in her womb and gave us life. For some that may be the only mom they ever have but most of us acquire more Moms somewhere along life's journey. Some of us acquire Second Moms through death, divorce and remarriage. We may also acquire Second Moms through our own marriage, our mother-in-laws. Still others acquire more Moms through pseudo adoption. We adopt friends, neighbors or coworkers with whom we develop a nurturing 'mom' like relationship. All these woman, the many Moms in our lives, should be honored on Mother's Day.

On this day, I realize that I am both a First and a Third Mom. I was blessed enough to be a First Mom to Abby and Gabe. I carried them with me for 9 months and I was there when they took their first breaths in the world. No matter where I go in life or what I do, I will always consider the creation of those two perfect human beings my greatest accomplishment.

Now through the beauty of adoption I also get the chance to be a Third Mom. Somewhere in Korea is a courageous young woman who loved Ellie enough to give her life despite the fact that she was probably shunned by family and friends for being a single pregnant woman. Ellie's First Mom also placed her for adoption hoping to provide her with the things she couldn't. That decision had to be one of the most difficult decisions of her life. I hope that on this day celebrating Mothers that Ellie's First Mom is at peace with her decision and I hope someday she will know how much we love the little girl she brought into this world. Ellie also had a Second Mom, Lee Mi Sook. Mi Sook took on the difficult task of caring for a new born day and night knowing that someday she would leave for another family. She loved Ellie as her own until the day we brought her home. Ellie could not have had a better Second Mom. So that leaves me in position number three. It is a position that I am happy to have. I didn't hear Ellie's first breath. I didn't see her first smile or hear her first laugh but I get so much more. I get to be there for her first steps, her first word and her first birthday. I will be there for her first day of school, her first aced test and her first broken heart. I get to be her forever mommy. Yes, third place is just fine with me.

We had a fairly quiet Mother's Day around the Germann household. We went to Mass and ate lunch at Subway (Abby's choice). Who knew a five year old could eat a whole meatball sub? We spent a quiet afternoon at home with all three children napping (that is a gift in itself). We then went out for Mexican food (Mommy's choice). We had hoped to capture some pictures of our Mexican dinner but we were too busy surviving eating out with three kids to remember to take pictures. Here are some pictures we took after church of me and my beautiful children on Mother's Day.