momma...

This Mother's day I was in route back to the States to start my month long stint with family and friends. Simply because I miss them terribly but also so they could see my growing belly.

My mother informed me she was going to be mushroom hunting for morels that day(the above wild mushroom) and apologized for not picking me up at the airport. (I was greeted by a smiling father, beautiful sister and darling brother-in-law).

There was no need for apologizes momma! I was so happy to know that my mother was doing something she truly loves and excites her. She was doing something for herself which thank goodness she still knows how to do after having four kids who she so selflessly raised and nurtured! (She got quite the stash of morels as you can see!)

The next day my other sister called...my youngest one who is graduating from college and getting ready for some big changes in her life. She was crying, which is completely normal, as she is leaving her city, school, job and friends of four years. She was happy her big sis made it home safe but really just wanted to know where mom was...mom was at work and I told her to call her there. I could have been upset with my sister here. Her wanting to cut it short with her big sis who lives so far away but no...I totally understood, she just needed to talk to her momma!

Living abroad is not always easy. I love my husband and my in-laws but some days are so hard and guess who I call(skype)? That's right my mom. She never tells me to come home even if she misses me too. She just listens, reassures me, and reminds me of how blessed I truly am. There is a calm in her voice even her breath(I am a dork and always cry when she hugs me goodbye back to Turkey but not from her hug from the sound of her breathing:)

Mom, thank you for everything, thank you for reading to us as children, packing our lunches everyday of school, being our biggest fans, teaching us the importance of family but also having giving us a sense of independence, helping us learn to appreciate life and all we have and can give! Oh there is so much more and I hope I can be as good a mom to our girl as you have been to me. But I know I can always call my momma!

Here is a hilarious sound bite from National public radio's Scott Simon who "muses on the typical day for his wife--a full time mother who "doesn't work""

Wow...I am about to embark on that adventure!