Celebrating a less than ideal Mother’s Day.

Mother’s Day snuck up on me this year. Maybe it’s because I’ve been stuck at home and didn’t see the cards and Mother’s Day sales that would have normally caught my eye. But quarantine or not, Mother’s Day is this weekend.

Over the past 10 years, Mother’s Day has not been one of my favorite holidays. My Mom’s last Mother’s Day in 2009 was just before she went into hospice. That was a difficult Mother’s Day to celebrate and the following year was just sad. A few years later, my sister got hit by a car. Celebrating Mother’s Day in the ER with her was a strange experience. Then last year Mr. Pete and I spent Mother’s Day sitting in the cold, watching a track meet, fighting over how to get our van repaired. That wasn’t exactly a great day either.

And now this year a worldwide pandemic with Covid-19. Stores are mostly closed, large gatherings are prohibited. There won’t be a mass or anywhere to go.

But despite all that, I still want to celebrate Mother’s Day anyway to acknowledge my mom and other important moms in my life.

So here’s what I’m planning.

I am putting a picture of my Mom and my mother-in-law on the family table with flowers, a statue of the Blessed Mother, and a little votive candle. I will also put out a picture of my grandma and my favorite aunts.

Mr. Pete and I will visit Mom at the cemetery with flowers and a prayer. I’ll leave something at my baby’s grave too since he also had a part in my own motherhood.

I’m going to actually get dressed up in nice clothes on Sunday! I want it to actually feel like Mother’s Day and it won’t if I’m just wearing sweats and a shirt.

Send cards to the Godmothers. I sent a reminder to my adult children to do that, but I still help Rosie to make something to send to hers.

Celebrate! My granddaughter has been coming over for school regularly. We will make something this week for her to give to her own mom for Mother’s Day. She will probably come over at least a little bit on Mother’s Day to celebrate with her aunts and uncles. We have a new gazebo outside in our little back yard where we can hang if it’s warm out. If not, the dining room table will do just fine.

Because the most important thing for me on Mother’s Day is to be with the people that made me a Mom, and honor the other Moms who came before!