This black & white photo is a Mother’s Day shot from 2000. I remember it well. It was a hot day and a rough photo shoot. I was so frustrated by the lack of cooperation from my wiggly, thumb-sucking children, and I “settled” for this shot. Little did I know that today, at 52 years old, I would finally realize that this photo is perfection. 

It’s Mother’s Day 2020, and we’re living in a hard-to-fathom, sci-fi world. When I think of my three children today, Alexis (35), Clay (22) and Emma (20), the word that comes to mind: Distant.

Alexis is 37 weeks pregnant.
Clay has an autoimmune disease.
Emma lives in New Orleans, a Covid-19 Hot Spot.
The directives from our providers: separate. distance. avoid contact.

Separate.
Distance.
Avoid Contact.
Three antonyms for motherhood.

Yet, this has been my reality for 8 weeks. Supporting by way of Venmo. Nourishment via Instacart. Zoom Connections. Catching up through Facetime. Rubbermaid containers of food passed through a crack in the door. Waving and blowing kisses from the sidewalk. Curbside conversations from the car window. 

Desperate to share time with my children, I decided to blur the lines between my business and personal life and to include my kids in the Facebook Live cooking videos for Red Stick Spice. It was awkward and odd and filled with inside jokes.

And it was wonderful.
It felt good.
It felt necessary.
More than anything, it felt like me being a mom.

So to all my fellow mamas who have been pulling out all the stops. Homeschooling. Drive by Graduations. Scavenger hunts. Porch campouts. Backyard tea parties. Neighborhood walks. Bike rides. Art projects. So many art projects.

If it feels weird and awkward, then I’m here to say, you’re doing it right. And you are doing a great job.

Happy Mothers Day! Big, big love from me.

Anne
Momma, Owner and Tireless Champion of Home Cooks