What is it that makes a person a mother ? The simplest definition would be any woman who fulfills the primary role of socialization for a child. But, when we all consider what made our moms great, it's not usually our socialization that leaps to mind. Instead, for many of us, it's the certainty that our mothers were always there for us, that there was nothing they wouldn't do for us, no matter the cost to them. In short, it's that maternal willingness to sacrifice that makes someone a mother.
That is why on this Mother's Day, as my husband and I prepare to adopt the three most beautiful children in the world, I want to pay tribute to the woman who gave them life. That their biological mother made mistakes is not in question. But, what she did right she deserves full credit for. She gave birth to three beautiful children. She somehow managed to safeguard them until fate delivered them to our doorstep. And, when push came to shove, she voluntarily terminated her own parental rights so her children could stay together in our home. I won't divulge the details of her story, though both she and her mother shared quite a bit with me. It is her story, and my children's, and not mine to tell (except maybe to them when they're old enough to understand). I can only say that, as I am being celebrated today by family and friends for being the mother these children so deserve, I hope wherever their mother is, she knows I am also celebrating her for being the mother they needed.