My Mother's Day

Sawyer's school had a mother's day picnic with 8 kindergarten classes this week.

It was to begin promptly at 11:30 a.m.

Somewhere between hosting guests, making a birthday cake, cleaning up from breakfast, making lunches, preparing dinner, doing laundry, and walking the dog

I thought the picnic began at 12:30 p.m.

Sawyer waited at the fence of the playground for an hour.

It was hot.

He wouldn't eat food offered by teachers

because he knew his Mom was coming.

He had told me which blanket he would like to sit on.

He helped me pack the lunch.

And then I didn't come.

It was a sad, tearful, full-of-explanations-that-didn't-sound-very-good moment.

So we ate lunch together in the car.

We were tired of glances from other Moms and children wondering why I was arriving when they were leaving.

I felt like an awful Mom.

I know in the eternal scheme of motherhood, whether or not I am a good mother is not determined by my attendance at kindergarten picnics.

Hopefully.

Sawyer was very forgiving, very comforting, and very loving.

To me, that's what defines motherhood.

Happy Mother's Day!