Mother’s Day Brunch Table Setting

I don’t often get to celebrate Mother’s Day with my mother. In fact, I can’t remember the last time I did.

So when Balsam Hill asked me to share some Mother’s Day inspiration using one of their gorgeous artificial arrangements, all I could think about was how much I would love to have her come over for a simple brunch.

Just the two of us.

We would sit together at the table with no kids (or retired husband/my dad) vying for her attention and just relish our time together. I would break out the china and silver and maybe whip up my yummy Lemon Creme Brulee.

You see, by this point in my life, I’ve come to realize that not everyone can say that their mom is also their best friend. I know that it’s a rare thing. A blessing. A gift.

I can talk to my mom about everything from home decorating to finances to the challenges of being a mother myself.

And she’s always there. Always available. Always ready with a listening ear and solid wisdom.

I always find it interesting that when I think back on my childhood, it’s not the specific conversations that I remember. It’s the feelings, the moments, the smells, the essence. When my mom would come and kiss me goodnight, I loved the scent of her face lotion. When I close my eyes I can still smell it. It represented comfort and familiarity and consistency.

She would pray with me and sing to me and I would fall asleep with such a deep sense of security.

It’s a security I still feel to this day when I’m with her.

When I became a mom myself, suddenly it seemed like I needed my mom more than ever. Yes, I needed the advice and the ideas and the re-assurances, but what I needed most was the security that she provided. Even though my entire world had changed, when I was with my mom I felt like I was just ‘me’.

Just Vanessa. Just her daughter.

My mom is a truly one of the most wise women I know. And the best piece of parenting advice she has ever given me is to always remember that I’m an imperfect person raising imperfect children in an imperfect world. She reminds me that I’m just not going to do things perfectly. It’s an impossibility. I will make mistakes and I will mess up and so will my kids. But, in the midst of all of the trying and messing up, there’s always grace. Grace for them and grace for myself. Lots of it!

There is something about looking at photos of my mom when she was near my age that strike me so differently now that I’m a mother too. I see her in a new light.

I see myself in her.

And I’m beyond grateful that God gave me the amazing gift of having her as my mom. We might not be able to celebrate Mother’s Day together this year (my parents divide their time between two homes and won’t be back here in Oregon until summer), but it’s really ok. Because it’s only a day.

The real celebration happens every time we laugh together over a funny family memory or when she listens to me as I moan about how hard it is raising a teenager.

The real celebration is in our hearts.

I love you mom!

For more Mother’s Day brunch inspiration visit the other participants:

Balsam Hill Blog

Duke Manor Farm

The Yellow Cape Cod

My Sweet Savannah

French Country Cottage