Mother's Day - May 11

Today is actually the 100 year anniversary of Mother's Day. The day is always celebrated on the 2nd Sunday in May here in the US.

Three years after Anna Jarvis mother died in 1905, she organized the first official mother's day service at a church where her mother had spent more than 20 years teaching Sunday school. By all accounts, Jarvis' mother Ann was a community activist who worked to heal the divisions in north-central West Virginia following the Civil War, and to promote improved sanitation by creating Mothers Friendship Clubs. But Anna Jarvis became increasingly disturbed as the celebration turned into an excuse to sell greeting cards, candy, flowers and other items. In the end, Jarvis was bitter about what the observance had become and "wished she would have never started the day because it became so out of control ..."

The celebration took off over the Atlantic and is now celebrated all over Europe, but not necessarily the same date. In Sweden Mother's day is celebrated the last Sunday in May.

Mike and Jess decided to treat me and Gina to a special Mother's Day celebration. We headed over to Therme Spa where we had a 45 minute massage. Wonderful.

After a glass of champagne we headed over to Marche. A really nicve restaurant downtown Menlo Park, where we had their special Mother's Day menu for the day.

We each got a rose and then we headed back home where the guys, that had taken the kids to Shoreline, waited.

I got these wonderful papertrays that the kids had done at preschool. One of them is actually standing right next to my computer...all decorated with hearts.

Anna Jarvis would probably not have approved, but I must say that I really enjoyed this Mother's Day celebration.