My Mother's Day tradition

One of my Mother's Day tradition has always been to plant the flowers I have both purchased and that my daughters have given me as Mom's Day gifts. Since 2000, we have not spent Mother's Day together, the girls and I, as we all now live very far apart physically (but not in our hearts) - Jamie in California, Becky in Texas and me in Pennsylvania. In 2003, George and I added a son, Atilla Yucel, our AFS son from Germany and this Mother's Day, he is even farther away in Istanbul finishing his college thesis. So, no family dinner on Mother's Day this year but plenty of love going back and forth over the miles and around the globe.

Not one to readily break with tradition, however, I did go get some plants and flowers for the gardens and the front porch this morning. It is a cold, windy day here in PA with temps in the 50's after several days in the 80's. George is at graduation and while I am not out gardening right now, I am thinking flowers as I write this. My neighbor, Verna went with me this morning to three flower procuring locations, Lowe's, Home Depot, and our local Agway. It did not take us long to fill up my blue CR-V!






I also bought hanging baskets for the front porch but it is so windy, I do not want to put them up yet. More pictures to follow of them.

The last pictures I want to share with you are the reasons I am a mom. I cannot imagine my life without you guys. Thank you for conferring parenthood on me. It's been a real adventure and I love you guys with all my heart!






PS. The lovely orchid is from my first husband and friend, Mark Allmendinger and his wife and my friend, Pam for Mother's Day. Parenting was a team effort with us all and I appreciate them so much. Thanks, guys!