SUPERMOMS – FOSTER MOMS

By Bernadette

I am reposting this writing this morning because it will soon be Mother’s Day and I want to celebrate again the Foster Moms, Adoptive Moms and all the Moms of the world today.

 

A few years ago, Mother’s Day found me temporarily raising my one year old granddaughter.  My friends and family were very quick to tell me what a wonderful person I was to take on this responsibility.  But aside from the very real physical hardship of raising a one year old (try getting up off the floor at 65), I really felt nothing but love and a kind of awe that I had been given this opportunity to mother another member of my family.  But as any Grandmother can attest, you fall in love with your grandchildren as easily as you fell in love with your own children.  So, really I was living a lie.  I wasn’t this super wonderful person taking on this responsibility – I was just a grandmother loving a granddaughter.

My granddaughter has been adopted bymy son and daughter-in-law.  And I want to dedicate this blog to my daughter-in-law and all the other mothers in the world who love with their whole hearts a child who has come to them another way.

These women are true heroes.  They open their hearts and give much needed love and guidance to a child who they did not carry under their hearts.  These wonderful women don’t shrink from giving this love and taking on all the hard work of raising a child while living with the possibility that the child may end up being taken away from them.  To paraphrase Brian Andreas – they wake up every morning and love the child all over again.  And getting up every morning and loving all over again is really the definitive explanation of what a mother does.  She slays the dragon of the everyday hard work of raising a child and wakes up every morning and loves the child all over again.

Happy Mother’s day to you beautiful heroes.  Like spring, you give the gift of renewed hope and beauty to this world.

Sending my love to all mothers,

Bernadette

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About Bernadette

I live in the small town of Haddonfield, NJ. I am at an age in my life when I seem to spend time thinking and musing about life. These musings are usually stimulated by my walks through Haddonfield, my reading of books and fellow bloggers, and my interaction with my group of fabulous family and friends.

37 Responses

  1. Carol

    Bernadette,
    Thanks for this very sweet post. I don’t think foster moms or step moms, get nearly the recognition they deserve!
    I have never married and came to motherhood through foster/adopting my two sons, who were students at my school. It was and is hard work every day, even though they are now 19 and 21. I think there is huge wisdom, then, in the Andreas quote. I really admire people who do foster care over and over, with many kids. I’m not sure I would ever be able to do that.
    Carol

    Like

  2. Dana Murphy

    What a touching post. You captured perfectly the very essence of motherhood in a way I’ve never considered. Making the choice to love again — each and every day. I join you in saluting the foster moms. Cheers to them!

    Like

  6. Ramona

    Thanks for recognizing all those who mother children. My sister has six adopted children, so I understand a bit about waking up every morning to love all over again. And foster moms – how do they do it? Love so wholeheartedly children who they know are only with them for a short time! They are walking angels among us.

    Like

  9. overthehillontheyellowbrickroad

    Bernadette, what a beautiful, heartfelt post. You described motherhood perfectly, and I agree, a woman who raises a child she didn’t bring into the world herself is a very special soul. Based on what I see some of my friends and relatives experiencing in this situation, I understand how exceptionally challenging raising a child who has not come from within you can be. In any case, happy Mother’s Day to you too, and to all mothers.

    Liked by 1 person

  11. Osyth

    Sing it sister! Mums come in all sorts of guises and it is so important to salute them all. Mothering is never a cake-walk and those that choose to mother children who for whatever reason would be motherless otherwise are indeed the great unsung heroines of ever age. I join you in cheering for the unsung. I join you in sending ALL mummies my heartfelt gratitude, my respect and my love.

    Liked by 1 person

  14. Darlene

    My son was a single dad raising 2 beautiful daughters. he married my daughter/in/law and together they had two fabulous sons making a blended family. I so admire a woman who will take over the raising of another’s children as well as her own. Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms, foster moms and step moms out there!!

    Liked by 2 people

  16. cookandenjoyrecipes

    What a wonderful, heartfelt and sincere post. Mothers, grandmothers, stepmothers, foster mothers, single mothers, this is for you.
    The meaning of being a mother is virtually endless. A mother is a protector, disciplinarian, and friend. A mother is a selfless, loving human, and it is perhaps the hardest, most rewarding job a woman will ever experience.
    Happy MOTHER’s DAY to all
    Thank you for sharing this via Senior Salon

    Liked by 2 people

      1. pensitivity101

        I just did my bit when I was needed, and made sure the kids knew I was there for them should they need a shoulder to cry on, someone to confide in, or just someone to care.

        Like

  24. D. Wallace Peach

    Such a beautiful tribute, Bernadette, to mothers and grandmothers no matter how they land in that role, who wake up every morning and love again. The dedication to your “daughter-in-law and all the other mothers in the world who love with their whole hearts a child who has come to them another way” brought tears to my eyes, so heartfelt. *Sniffle* Moms are pretty special. ❤ Happy Mother's Day.

    Like

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