Mother Love

A pictorial

Mom and her dear friend, Cindy, roller skating in California. Mom had an amazing array of fierce and funny female friends, and she was always up for an adventure.

She always looked at me with love and pride.

I imagine she’s saying, “You look so beautiful, Trinks. Are you sure you don’t want a wrap in case it gets chilly?”

Time with her was always special, always fun.

She loved her grandbabies with every ounce of her being. After George was born, Mom said to me, “Just have one more baby for me, please, Trinks. Just one. You can give him or her to me, and I’ll raise them. Think about it.”

Sam, my oldest, and George, my youngest. The bookends. Here with our sweet Lucy. George and I had gone to buy dog food earlier in the day. Lucy was there for adoption and crawled into George’s waiting lap. “I think she loves me, Mom,” he said. And so we brought her home And he loved that dog with all his heart—and she loved him right back—until the day, 14 years later, we had to say goodbye to our sweet, stinky pup.

The first day I got to hold sweet baby Gus in my arms, five weeks after welcoming him to the world.

My gorgeous baby doll, Mary Claire, who sucked those two fingers and carried her pink blankie with her everywhere.

My blue-eyed beauties in the summer sun.

My forever loves.

For this one, look surprised!

My four young adults, standing with me on the day we said goodbye to my beloved mom, their amazing Nana.

Mothering is a beautiful, brutal experience of learning how to let go. In preschool, kindergarten, middle school, high school, college. Watching them walk confidently away into their own lives is the hardest, best, and most important thing a mother can do. I will always remain a step behind them, watching them bloom and grow and become the amazing adults they are.