Happy Mother's Day!

Did you know that Mother's Day is celebrated throughout 46 different countries around the world?  We will be celebrating in the United States on Sunday, May 13, and I wanted to share with you the history of Mother's Day and how it came to be here in the US.

In 1872 Julia Ward Howe, activist and author of the civil war song, "Battle Hymn of the Republic", suggested celebrating Mother's Day each year and dedicating the day to peace.  Her hope was that Mother's Day would be recognized as a legal holiday, and in recognizing the role of mothers, women would take this day to stand united to rally against the losses and atrocities of war.

Ms. Ward Howe didn't live to see her dream of having Mother's Day recognized as an official holiday, but in 1914, Anna Jarvis, the person recognized as the founder of Mother's Day here in the US, a woman who never married and never had children of her own, found success where Ms. Ward Howe did not.  After tireless years of lobbying in the memory of her own mother, President Woodrow Wilson designated the 2nd Sunday in May as Mother's Day.

I wanted to share this history with you, because I know how difficult this day can be for any woman who is struggling with infertility.  I wanted to share it because I found it very interesting that this woman, who whether by choice or circumstance never had children of her own, could be the impetus for establishing a day dedicated to the honor of motherhood.  Anna Jarvis knew the value of motherhood.

The struggles we face each day can seem insurmountable, yet we choose to continue.  We hurt.  We cry.  We get angry.  But, we continue on.  And we do it because WE KNOW.  We know the value of motherhood.  We know what Julia Ward Howe knew, that our children are so very precious.  We know what Anna Jarvis knew, that mothers give nothing less than their hearts and souls.  We know.

This Mother's Day I want you to know Sunday, May 13 is a day that we celebrate you - you, the woman who knows the value of motherhood.  We celebrate your courage, your tenacity, and your innate desire to give so much of yourself to your child.

This Mother's Day take a moment to appreciate the life that your mother gave you, recognize yourself for the life you are working so hard to give your child, and take pride in the fact that you know, perhaps better than anyone, the true value of what it means to be a mother.