Mother's Day, International Style

Mother's Day is not quite as straightforward when one lives out of the country and has children scattered all over the world.  While the US just celebrated the day, France will not do it until the end of the month.  Sometimes this has caused confusion for my kids, thinking that the US date doesn't count any more but never remembering when the French one is.  So some years, instead of being thought of twice by my offspring, I don't get thought of at all.  Fortunately, our family doesn't need to depend on manufactured dates to acknowledge various family members.

As for how this mother felt this year, I thought I'd share my very first Mother's Day compared to how I spent this year's American date.  As childbirth isn't an illness, and as my firstborn was delivered on a Monday, and as her first Sunday of life was in fact Mother's Day, she found herself being carted off to church so that her brand new mother could show off being eligible to celebrate the day herself!

My very first Mother's Day 1972

This year, as is typical any more, I just did my own thing alone (the dad took the picture).  A pleasant surprise was being invited to join some American vacationers at their rented villa for lunch, which turned out to be a quite lovely way to spend the afternoon.

A pleasant afternoon 42 years later

While my dress just after birth was a pretty little borrowed number that I could fit into, my suit this year was one I'd made about 25 years ago in my FL days (which didn't really work in Paris so hasn't been worn much all these years), spruced up with a brand new blouse I just created.  

I'd prefer having the children I created surround me on this special day for moms; but as that isn't happening, alas, at least I could make myself feel special, LOL.

I hope any other mothers out there who might be reading this had a pleasant day, too.