This blog is
dedicated to another special mother, my sister. First, let me start off by
saying that my sister is almost eight years older than me and therefore has
always been someone that I have looked up to and admired. I can remember
falling in love with Donny from New Kids on The Block because she loved them. I
remember the first time I listened to Debbie Gibson, Alanis Morisette, Pink
Floyd, and Fleetwood Mac was with my sister. My mother would tell me stories
about how my sister would play the role of “Mommy” to my brother and me when we
were babies. Taking care of our dirty diapers, helping us get dressed, and
feeding us, were just some of the motherly duties my sister enjoyed doing as a
kid herself, which is why it is no surprise that she is such a good mother to
her own children today.
I am
surprised that my sister, the super mom, even has the energy left to call me
nearly every day just to see how I am doing. Being a stay-at-home mom is a
paradox as far as my sister is concerned. She is so involved in all three of
her children’s lives that it is amazing that she has not found a way to
duplicate herself because she is pulled in so many directions. She plays the
traditional “Mom” roles too- the personal chef, the house-keeper, the nurse,
the tutor, but it is her commitment to her children’s other activities that is
truly special. Between soccer, basketball, ballet, and tennis, piano lessons,
book club, science club, and bible school, it is amazing that she has the time
to also take her kids to family outings, play board games, and make crafts with
them. I can only hope that one day I can make the time to do half the things
that my sister does with her kids with my own children.
Twenty-
eight years later, and I am a mother of a two- year- old and soon to be a
mother again, and I still look to my sister for advice, and my sister still
calls me to see how I am doing, and takes care of me in her own way. For
example, every summer my sister makes sure to get our two families together to
a trip to the ocean where we can enjoy each other's friendship and children.
During my daughter’s first year of life, my sister watched her every Friday to
help ease the cost of daycare for us in our first year as parents. And now,
with the birth of my second child fast approaching, my sister yet again has
taken care of me by providing me with the most wonderful baby shower. She took
me to my favorite Mexican place, decorated it, had the most adorable favors,
and basically made sure I had the best time possible. This is why I can think
of no better person to be the God-Mother of my son, Liam.
Whenever I
think of the woman that my sister has become, I think of roses. When we were
growing up she sprayed so much sunflower spray that her room stunk of it long
after she left it. In fact, she was so obsessed with Sunflower spray, that she
even put it in her hair to lighten it – that was a smell that I associated with
my sister as a young adult. As my sister got older, she became more graceful
and sweet. She evolved from a youthful sunflower into a mature rose. In fact,
her choice of perfumes, bath soaps, candles, and house decorations all matured
into a more “mother earth” type style. I swear to this day if you walk into her
bathroom, it smells of rose petals, which is why I chose the “Rose Gateau” cake
to bake for my sister. Made with flour, baking powder, butter, sugar, eggs,
milk, and all-natural, organic, rose water, and topped with a rose water-based
icing, this cake is everything that is my sister; delicate, sweet, natural, and
fragrant. In my version of the cake, the only thing not all-natural are the
sugared red roses on top; the recipe called for rose petals, which though
edible, are not particularly appetizing even when dusted with sugar, and
therefore I incorporated instead little candied roses. This change works as I
could not imagine having something on this cake that is not as sweet as she is.
It would not be surprising to find a recipe like this hidden away in a 1950’s
cookbook, just as it would be easy to see my sister in the style of a 1950’s
mother and housewife. One look at the cake shows the beauty that is my sister.
The book's cake:
My cake:
Rose Water:
Gift-Wrapped:
Jessica, Thank you for showing me how to be a good mom.
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