mother's day, 1989, seagrove beach, florida - roy on the left, robin with his plastic alligator in the middle - we were looking down a crab hole where a crab had pulled a stick out of view
i've shown that photograph on this blog more times than i know; it's my favorite photo of the boys and me, and it rests in a frame beside my bed, where i see it every single day and night. roy was so blonde, then; his right knee is skinned. robin has a headful of curls, and fat little feet; i think that the shirt he was wearing had a beatrix potter image on the front of it. i stayed in a bathingsuit and oversized shirt that entire weekend, and we lingered on the beach in the early morning and late afternoons, into the golden early evening. i was young. i had the whole of motherhood ahead of me; i was only three years into that role, but thought i already knew everything about a mother's skills. i knew nothing at all, absolutely nothing. but i loved, very hard, and love harder and fiercer now still. being a mother has been the singlemost thing in life i've done where i can look back and say, well done, little mama. well done. i raised those boys as a single mother, from the time they were two and four years old; now they are great big tall, lanky men. they have their own lives, their own tastes, their own hobbies and pasttimes, their own loves. they have so much of me in them that it scares and startles all three of us, but that is mostly a good thing, in the end.
i'm spending this mother's day with my own cherished mama, down in the southern-steeped world of alabama. to all you mamas and all you sisters and all you pet mamas and best friends and caretakers and daughters/sons/brothers out there, i wish you the best that this day has to bring. xo
You have a lovely mama's day with your mama, Nina!
Posted by: Diana B | May 13, 2012 at 02:15 PM
Happy sweet Mama's day to you and your mama, my dear Nina. What grace to have you call to me Friday afternoon as I was striding into Ingles, in a snit over all kinds of stuff, feeling thoroughly disgusted with myself, mostly. And to share with me your plunder, all those beautiful jewels and the toran embroidered by some mother, no doubt, in India. The "wildings" are geting some soft mother's rain today. Hope you are getting the nurture you need, too. And what good squishy little (and big) feet in the sand!
Posted by: Kathryn Stripling Byer | May 13, 2012 at 02:30 PM
well done, my friend. enjoy the day...and the next and the next...with your mama. hugs to you both...xoxo
Posted by: Tina in McLeansville | May 13, 2012 at 02:30 PM
You are a cherished mentor of life. I love you xxoo
Posted by: Minnie | May 13, 2012 at 02:55 PM
Love this. I wrote much the same today. Admiration to you for raising those boys so well... BY YOURSELF.
It's hard enough when two people do it... for one, a monumental feat.
Best wishes my dear one.
Posted by: Farmlady | May 13, 2012 at 03:29 PM
You two just enjoy your day anyway and anyhow you can. Two wonderful mamas!
xx
julie
Posted by: julie whitmore | May 13, 2012 at 03:40 PM
Happy Wonderful Mother's Day, Nina! I adore that photo! Jamie V in MT
Posted by: Jamie V | May 13, 2012 at 03:56 PM
that's my favorite kind of mama-the one depicted in that picture is wholly in the moment at kid level
Happy Mother's Day, Nina
S
Posted by: SusanS | May 13, 2012 at 04:08 PM
Nina, I always amazes me the bond between you and your sons. Job well done my friend!
xo
Posted by: Lorri Scott | May 13, 2012 at 04:19 PM
Even though we can't be with our children today...they all live so far away....I think we must have done a good job, to raise such happy, independent children. Children that are not afraid to go out into the world on their own....
Happy Mothers Day...
xoxo Bonnie
Posted by: Bonnie Moench | May 13, 2012 at 04:51 PM
Love ya maw! What a timeless picture.
Posted by: Roy Henry | May 13, 2012 at 05:06 PM
Happy Mother's Day to you, Nina - and your mama. I love the photo of you and your boys.
xo dusan
Posted by: susan | May 13, 2012 at 09:21 PM
We have some things in common, you and I. Our boys are about the same age (I only have one) and was a single Mom from the time he was four. There is no one on this earth that I have fought with, fought about or fought for more than my son. I admire him and am so inspired my him. I love him more than anything else and I like you, look at him and say well done! Happy Mother's Day sweet Nina and well done, We are so blessed to have our boys.
Posted by: Lindy McClellan | May 13, 2012 at 10:48 PM
How simply lovely. Happy Mother's Day!
Posted by: Lynn in Tucson | May 13, 2012 at 11:26 PM
Amen. Well said.
Posted by: Katherine Langford | May 13, 2012 at 11:37 PM
Happy Mother's day to you and your mom.
i hope you both had a wonderful day .
xxoo
kathyd
Posted by: kathy dorfer | May 13, 2012 at 11:48 PM
love that photo......happy you were able to be with your mom.....
Posted by: carol | May 14, 2012 at 08:29 AM
Hardest and most rewarding job on this earth! Hope you had a lovely day.
Posted by: Carol Weiler | May 14, 2012 at 10:55 AM
Momma you did it. Yes you did.
Posted by: sandra | May 14, 2012 at 12:03 PM
Ah yes...mothers. Wondrous, nurturing, loving, all-encompassing creatures. Motherhood...what a glorious gift. Your memories are sweet as mine and what a fine post this was. As always, I look forward to every word you put to paper, or in print. Thank you for the fine wishes and right back at ya!
vickie in kc
Posted by: vickie | May 14, 2012 at 12:08 PM
Such a touching picture, Nina. I hope that your Mother's Day with your sweet Mama was lovely.
Karen
Posted by: Karen Cannon | May 14, 2012 at 06:36 PM
Love the photo of you and the boys, Nina. Hope all is going well.
Frankie
Posted by: Frankie Kins | May 15, 2012 at 06:14 PM
love this pic and your words so much! as a single parent of six daughters i agree... it has to be the highest calling that takes and gives to the heights and depths! love endures forever~
xo abigail
Posted by: rusted wings | May 15, 2012 at 10:52 PM
Hello Nina,
A dear friend of mine opened my eyes to your endearing blog. Thank you for sharing so much of you.
Posted by: kate | May 16, 2012 at 06:51 AM
This is such a dear and wonderful post. I was right there with you at a similar beach in that very year. You took me right back to that moment in time...and the sounds and even the scents come back to me now. This is quite possibly the best Mother's Day posting ever. Many thanks!
Posted by: Folk Heart | May 16, 2012 at 06:44 PM
It seems harder to be a mother when they are grown men. To not be too intrusive...To not see them often enough. To love them just as much, but not able to cuddle with them.... At least it is for me. I struggle.
Posted by: Michelle | May 21, 2012 at 05:45 PM
Sweet photo!
Posted by: Chris | May 23, 2012 at 03:03 PM
we just back from seaside....our favorite place in the world to go....and the neighbor of seagrove.
for the past four years, we've been spending part our winters down there...we're up to six weeks at a time, which is heavenly.
i know you are so busy, and that blog reading isn't what you have time for, but i've been posting many of our beach photos from this trip if you'd like to see them.
the best part of the trip....our daughter was proposed to and i'm going to be a mother-in-law. so fun !!!
xo
Posted by: beth | May 31, 2012 at 01:28 PM