Mother’s Day has often been a hard day for me—I have unanswered questions about both my birth mother and my adopted mother. Watching my baby grandson sleep recently helped me realize I had a newfound peace.
I grew up knowing I was adopted. In fact, it felt like my mother told my three siblings and me on a daily basis that we better appreciate the home she had given us. I wonder why there wasn’t more love in my family but I don’t think I’ll ever know—mom died when I was a young teen.
When I was 30, I tracked down the documents that led to my biological mother. She and I were both at Catholic Charities at the same time—she as an unwed mother; me, as a newborn baby—but are we really mother-daughter? Our features and gestures do not resemble each other in the least. For a while I was very anxious to do a DNA test and find out the truth.
Every time I thought about scheduling the test, however, one of my seven children had something going on. My daughter, Candice, had a baby and moved back in with us. My daughter, Layla, is expecting her first child at the end of June and I hosted her baby shower last weekend. My oldest daughter, who has knee problems, is also expecting her first child. I try to call her regularly and encourage her to rely on the Lord for strength and guidance.
I watched my grandbaby, Wyatt, recently. He was sleeping in his crib in the way all babies sleep—with their chest resting on their thighs, head down and bottom up. There’s a yoga stretch called “Child” which puts us in the same exact position. In Pilates it’s called “Shell Stretch.” My breath slowed to match his deep, even inhales and exhales. I rested like that for a few moments and reflected on my journey as a daughter and the blessings of my life today. In the sweet quiet, I wished a Happy Mother’s Day to all of the women who shaped my life.
Blessings,
Theresa
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Theresa is a former model and nationally certified fitness professional who teaches people to use their faith to inspire fitness and their fitness to strengthen their faith. She is the author of Shaped by Faith: 10 Secrets to Strengthening your Body & Soul, and three exercise DVDS: Pilates for the Soul, Strength Training for the Seasoned Soul and Pilates Stability Ball.
She and her husband, Robin, have seven children and live in Calhoun, Kentucky.
