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
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
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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!
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You write so eloquently for the “other” mothers. All the child asks is to be loved, and that’s what mothers do.
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This is a gorgeous tribute to moms. Children just want to feel unconditional love. They deserve it, don’t they?
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Just a beautiful post! Thank you!
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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.
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I endorse every word said in tis blog.
I know what Mothers are and what there Love is.
Wonderful Bernadette!
Spread the Word
Mothers are the Heroes of the World of LOVE.
🔔🔔🔔
Shiva
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Happy Mothers Day to you and yours as well.
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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.
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Happy Mother’s Day Bernadette, have a wonderful day. 🙂
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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.
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Thanks Osyth.
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All mothers, and especially foster mothers have a very special place in my heart! Thank you for bringing this to us, so that we can be reminded of all of the things they do!
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This is a beautiful tribute, Bernadette💝.
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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!!
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Heros just quietly living their lives and adding to the goodness of the world.
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A beautiful post, Bernadette! ❤ xo
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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
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Thank you for such an overwhelmingly heartfelt comment.
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♥
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My daughter was a Foster Mum for 10 years while singly raising my granddaughter, we loved all those little ones that came & went in our lives.
Yes, they are very special women!!
Jennifer
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A lovely post, Bernadette.
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This is beautiful, Bernadette!
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OTHER mothers are amazing, loving so deeply facing the possibility of separation. God bless them!
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Reblogged this on Nutsrok.
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Thank you my friend.
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I fostered teenagers for four years back in the 80’s. It was the most rewarding time of my life, despite the problems and heartaches. One lad came back to say thank you. That made it even more worthwhile.
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You are truly a hero. The teens so need love and try so hard to hide that fact.
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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.
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A lovely post, Bernadette. I’m sure you’ve spoken to many women who love children. 🙂 — Suzanne
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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.
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And Happy Mother’s Day to you my friend. I hope it is filled with relaxation and lots of pampering.
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❤
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This is a beautiful post about mothering, Bernadette. You are a wonderful family to adopt. There are so many desperately needy children.
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For us it was a no brainer because she is my youngest son’s daughter but for other families there isn’t any sense of duty or loyalty, there is just love.
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[…] SUPERMOMS – FOSTER MOMS shared by Bernadette […]
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This touched my heart especially today Bernadette!
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