A Mother's Day Year

One of the most beautiful gifts I've ever received was a small, dry-mount photo album with black pages and slips of opaque paper between.

It wasn't the album that was particularly beautiful, but rather the sentiment that came with it.

It was handed to me on my very first mother's day, by my darling Husband. And he said to me - fill it with you and the kids.

Since then, I have religiously catalogued my annual mother's day - no matter where we have been in the world - into this beautiful little memory album.

Each year, I look at the photos and have flashbacks to who my children were. And who I was.

Then I look ahead and wonder who we will be next year.

This one from Pingyao is one of my favourites - it was at a time where I could completely focus on the kids, which doesn't happen as much as I'd like at home, where house and work and cleaning rabbit cages seem to take up so much of my time.

I'll treasure this book forever, even if it is a bit of a smack in the face to see myself slowly age while my kids blossom and grow.

But isn't that what being a mum is all about?