It’s the last day of the month of May as I write this blog post. Mother’s Day is a special day dedicated to honoring and celebrating mothers and motherhood. It is usually celebrated on different dates around the world, but in many countries, including the Philippines, it falls on the second Sunday in May.

I purposely chose to write about our Mother’s Day celebrations today because we celebrated it not just in a single day but several during this month.

First, we had an advance Mother’s Day dinner in Tagaytay. I wrote about it here.

Second, on Mother’s Day weekend, my boys made their very own ice cream, which we ate on Mother’s Day (May 14). The day before Mother’s Day, the boys and I chose what cake flavor we will buy and bought it. They also bought a flower for me. On Mother’s Day itself, my two younger boys cooked pancakes for our breakfast. After breakfast, my eldest child with some assistance from my husband made fruit salad. My husband ordered our other food. We had a great time bonding over food! The boys and my husband gave me handmade Mother’s Day cards, too. We played Scrabble after eating. My husband and eldest child sang some songs. Then, we watched movies and ate some more in between the movies that we watched. We already attended anticipated Mass the day before because our eldest child serves as a pianist during anticipated Masses in our parish. Thus, we really had a lot of time to rest, relax and bond with each other.

The following day, I printed Mother’s Day worksheets that I also designed. I wanted to find out what my children like and appreciate about the things that I am doing for them so that I can do more of these things. Reading their answers on the Mother’s Day worksheets that I ask them to answer as part of our homeschool lessons gives me valuable insight into how my kids think and feel about me as their mother.

I modify the worksheets that they answer year after year. This year, their answers moved me to shed happy tears once more because they gave very thoughtful answers. I loved their answers! I got to know each child more based on the answers that they gave. Their answers made my Mommy heart happy and grateful that, somehow, my kids notice and appreciate the many things that I do for them.

The week leading to Mother’s Day weekend was the official last week of our homeschool lessons. That’s one of the reasons I was extra joyful during Mother’s Day weekend. We got to submit our school requirements the day before Mother’s Day. I had been stressed the whole school year trying to adjust to our new homeschool provider’s requirements (quarterly e-portfolio and grading sheets). Thus, I have an extra reason to celebrate that day!

In the days and weeks that followed, since we no longer had formal homeschool lessons, I had more time for myself. I had time to work on the things I wanted and needed to work on. I had more time to rest and relax and take care of myself.

In the meantime, the boys were enjoying making different ice cream flavors. They, actually, made three (3) different ice cream flavors this month! The ice creams were so delicious! The last time they made ice cream was for our Pentecost celebration. I’m so happy for my boys and I’m proud of them! My husband and I told them that if they want, they can already turn their ice cream-making skill into a business. This made me fulfilled as a teacher and mother because I was the one who taught them how to make homemade ice cream during the pandemic.

Our third Mother’s Day celebration was last Sunday when we visited my mother in Rizal. We also visited her on the Sunday before Mother’s Day but she was sick then. She had hypertension. Then, after getting better from hypertension, she had a fever and cold. So, we postponed our celebration and visit to the following Sunday. Thankfully, she was already well recovered by then and we all enjoyed spending time together visiting my late father in the columbary, eating out at a nearby mall and having cake for dessert in their home while my kids and younger brother play chess with each other. It was just a simple celebration but I’m very grateful to God because now that the pandemic is over, we can again see each other and share meals with each other. This was an answered prayer for me!

I feel blessed that my mother is still alive and we got to celebrate Mother’s Day together in person this year. I feel blessed and thankful for being a mother, for the gift of three children and that I am still alive to celebrate Mother’s Day with them.

It’s important to remember that Mother’s Day is not just about gifts and gestures; it’s about expressing love, gratitude, and appreciation for the mothers in our lives. The specific ways people celebrate may vary depending on cultural traditions, personal preferences, and individual relationships. What is most important is that we were able to spend quality time with our mothers and we, mothers, get to appreciate motherhood and have some time for ourselves and our children.

Salute to all the mothers out there!