Asian Feast for Mother's Day

I had the joy and privilege today to spend Mother's Day with my favorite women.  My own Mom, our three daughters who are living here, and my daughter Brooke, who telephoned from Puerto Rico.  We spoke on the phone for 1 1/2 hours.  It was so good to hear her voice and speak to her.

I am filled with gratitude for these wonderful women in my life:

• my Mom, who loves me unconditionally, and selflessly.  She has sacrificed so much for me over the years.  I love you Mom. 
• My four wonderful, smart, capable, and beautiful daughters.  I am so proud of the women they have become and so glad they are not only my best friends, but they are my best examples of all things good.  You are my joy and my inspiration.
• My sisters; the two I share a childhood with, my sisters-in-law and my many good friends, all sisters of my heart.  You are wonderful and precious to me.  
• I also pay tribute to my husband's mother, who died when he was 12 years old.  We never met, but I honor her today for giving my husband a loving and solid foundation from which to grow and for teaching him strong values.  She is so much a part of the person he has become.  Thank you Margaret.  I wish you were here.
• And last, but certainly not least---my husband.  I know, he is the one thing that does not seem to fit on this list; but without him, I would not be a mother.  I love you more than I can say.  Thank you for choosing me to be the mother of your children.

This is the dinner which my afore-mentioned wonderful smart, capable and beautiful daughters prepared for our family.  They made an Asian feast; steamed snap peas, rice, pork pot-stickers (also known as dumplings), and chicken lettuce wraps-all made from scratch.  Our Asian desert was red bean ice cream.  And our American desert?  Abby made a family favorite, lemon bars.

They are becoming great cooks.  Altogether, they are a force to be reckoned with, my babies-now women.  I am so proud of them.  Just look at the wonderful (and ambitious, I might add) food which they created.

Thank you for a wonderful Mother's Day.

I hope all of you were surrounded today by those you love , in person or in spirit.