Hello Reader,

One of my readers wrote me in response to Issue #125 to ask why I hadn't included Mother's Day in my abbreviated list of May holidays. I suspect she thought I might be following the modern trend of minimizing this holiday to avoid traumatizing anyone for whom Mother's Day is hard.

And I do understand that, for some, the day serves as a painful reminder of something you've lost or been denied.

Maybe you (like a couple of my own daughters) long to be a mother, but find yourself single far longer than you ever anticipated. Perhaps you struggle with infertility or have endured so many miscarriages that you despair of ever holding a little newborn of your own.

Yet Mother's Day isn't really about being a mother. It's about thanking a mother. It's a day to express love and appreciation for the mother God gave you. For better or worse, if you are alive today, it's because a mother gave birth to you.

If you, like I, are blessed with an amazing mother who is still alive (mine's 85), then use the day to reach out to her and tell her again how very grateful you are for all she has done for you over the years. If your mother is no longer living, then use the day to honor her memory. Even if your mother was completely devoid of any kind of nurturing instinct, you can still be grateful for the gift of life she imparted to you and can purpose to use that life well.

The reason I didn't include Mother's Day on that aforementioned list is the same reason I didn't list Memorial Day, either: not because I was trying to sweep important holidays under the rug, but because I have so many resources to share, I felt like both deserve their own issue. This week's newsletter is dedicated to Mother's Day. In the issue after next, I'll cover Memorial Day. Enjoy!

Free resources for you this week:

• ​Mother's Day Printables - let your kids and grandkids fill out these fun vintage worksheets
• ​A Prayer for Mothers - scriptures to pray over your mom (& ask your kids to pray over you)
• ​Mother's Day Cards - print at home and drop one in the mail today!
• ​Postponing Motherhood - countless young couples choose to wait for kids, but at what cost?
• ​Mother's Day Coupons - an easy last-minute-gift idea for kids to give Mom
• ​Animal Mothers & Babies - can you match up all these mother animals to their offspring?
• ​Taught from Childhood Coloring Page - this pretty printable features a verse from 2 Timothy

What I'm reading this week:

I've been reading Crystal Paine's new book, The Time Saving Mom. Just like her other books and workshops, this one is chockfull of proven tips and practical advice for using your time and other resources wisely and helping you make the most of your life as a mom!

What we're eating this week:

We've enjoyed several EveryPlate dinners lately: Crispy Buffalo Ranch Chicken, Roasted Bell Pepper Flatbreads, Beef Banh Mi Bowls, and White Bean Tomato Stew, to name a few. Yum!

The things I like most about this meal kit service is it's price (more that cooking from scratch but less than other delivery services and far less than eating out) and the wide selection of menu choices (although most of their vegetarian options are either rice- or pasta-based).

Incidentally, a week or two of preplanned meals would make a great Mother's Day gift! If you'd like to try this service for yourself, sign up through my referral link to get your meals for as little as $2.15 per serving!

Progress on last week's goals:

Although I didn't make as much progress on any of my goals as I'd hoped last week, I did make some, which means I can technically check every item off my list. I ✅ pared down inbox, ✅ painted more of my mural, and ✅ mapped out more details of our upcoming roadtrip.

My personal goals for this week:

It's going to be a wild ride, because my next three days are cram-packed! Here's what I need to accomplish by bedtime Saturday night...

• attend my son Daniel's graduation rehearsal & ceremony and host a party for him afterwards
• clean house and paint as much of my mural as possible before guests start showing up
• speak on "The ABCs of Homeschooling Success" at a Homeschooling Connect Conference​
• take part in two dress rehearsals and a performance of Haydn's Creation with the ETSO​
• pack our bags for a 2-week roadtrip (we leave on Sunday)

Whew! Don't you know, I'm going to need a vacation after the next three days? 😅

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