My birthday and Mother's Day usually come within the same week. I got a call from my Missionary son on Mother's Day, and an email the next day from the other son that is out of the house. I did not get a call or anything else from my daughter, nor did I expect to. Things have not been easy between us since she left home about four years ago.

We planned a simple day for my birthday, with some friends over for dinner. Just before they arrived, UPS dropped off a package. No note, no return address other than that of the company it was ordered from. Just a blanket inside a shipping bag.

The blanket was woven, with a tree on it. Each branch had a name of a family member on it - all 10 of us, including our daughter who died three years ago. I knew because of that it had to be someone who at least knew me well.

A week later, my daughter finally fessed up to having sent it.

She said it was terribly hard finding something with names on it, because virtually every company out there stops at 6 names. Kid names or family names, they stop at 6, even when it isn't a problem to just expand to more.

The IRS dropped from 6 to 5 two years ago.

It is frustrating that in our "systemized" world, larger families simply do not exist.

Laura
Mom to Eight