Happy Mothers Day

I married this woman because she was trustworthy, strong, funny, interesting, curious, easy to be with, loving, generous, hot, a good kisser, a great conversation partner, ambitious, committed, growing.

I didn't marry her because of the kind of mother she'd be, and early in our partnership, before we ever had kids we promised that we would never adopt the convention that many of her forbearers have of calling each other by our role:  "Mother" and "Father".

We haven't and we won't adopt that habit, but I am astonished at how adept she is at mothering.

She has instincts, intuition and sensibilities that I have none of.  Her touch, her playfulness, her attentiveness, her advocacy, her care-giving, her world-making, her generous, regular, invisible-repeatable-labor -- these qualities make her the kind of parent that my children need and are incredibly lucky to have.

It's not what I like best about you, Lynn, but it's amazing in its own way:  the way you are a mother.  I'm incredibly proud of you, grateful for you, and happy to be parenting alongside you.  Lucky lucky me.

(Addison took this great picture of Lynn, a great moment of the mundane beauty she radiates all the time.)