On Stay-At-Home Mothers

Some months ago the Catholic blogosphere was hopping with the mommy wars--stay-at-home moms versus working mothers. And one of the things this made me think of was how much my stay-at-home mom makes my work possible. She spent a week with us after Chester's birth--a week in which after a terrible birth I was almost entirely confined to bed. She has traveled with me to a conference, allowing me to attend with a little baby who needed a lot of care. (Francisco has traveled to many, many with me, too--and we've traveled to some with him, too.) She has cared for Chester over the summer so that I could work and he could play outside. She and my dad have helped us move many times--this most recent move the only things that have been unpacked were unpacked by her and Ilana. She took care of Chester for three weeks over Christmas when I was mostly in bed with all-day morning sickness. We're looking forward to her help with Chester this summer and even more in the fall with the transition to two kids. In fact, without such a supportive mother, I don't know if we would be having another kid.

So here's to all women and mothers and especially to mine. (Rant against Mother's Day saved for another day.)