When the kids were old enough to start asking me what I wanted for Mother’s Day, my response was always the same; “I’d love peace and quiet. And guess what?! It costs you nothing!” At a young age, there was a look of confusion on their faces. As they got older, the eye balls would roll. Now that they are adults, they still ask me and my response is the same; peace and quiet. I’m a bit amazed that they still ask me, quite frankly, but they do. I’ve been blessed to be a mommy now for 34 years. And I can honestly say that I’ve never gotten what I’ve wanted for Mother’s Day…just some peace and quiet. Or have I?

Over the years, I’ve dreamed of what a day of peace and quiet would look like for me. I imagine my feet up somewhere outside in the sunshine or a quiet walk in the woods with just the sounds of nature surrounding me; no people in site, no one asking me for something. At times my imagination will push it out even further and wonder what my ideal life of peace and quiet would look like. I envision that cabin in the woods without a soul around. Just birds chirping, maybe a stream nearby and the rustling of leaves; experiencing that peace and quiet as the rhythms of the seasons pass me by.

Without that sense of peace and quiet, I get overwhelmed by the political rhetoric in our country, life with COVID and how it has impacted all of us, racial tensions and injustices; the list goes on and on. I want to just turn off the news and the world and have some peace and quiet people!

As I reflect on these 34 years of motherhood and now grandma-hood, did I really want year round peace and quiet or even just a day of peace and quiet? Every Mother’s Day wasn’t the ultimate perfect day, but I can’t remember a day when I didn’t LOVE being a mommy. Yes, there were some dark days raising 3 completely different children, but I truly have lived my dream of being a mommy. How fortunate am I to have been so blessed with these people; who are loud, cry, argue, get mad and love me. What have I been called to do with these people, my community and my faith? I do feel called and looking back have gravitated to those things that are important to me; food, family and faith.

There have been many a Mother’s Day when I have helped with the cooking. Making their favorite dishes brings me tremendous joy. I love cooking for my family! That has translated into a passion for feeding the hungry in my community by supporting my church’s food ministry. I just can’t have people walking away hungry. My parents often say, “Who is going to eat all this food?” Most often there are rarely leftovers. It doesn’t get better than that!

Having my family around me on Mother’s Day truly is bliss. There is no peace and quiet with family. Our youngest recently graduated with her master’s degree. With COVID, she missed having a graduation ceremony for her undergrad degree and now with her master’s, the number she could invite to the ceremony was very limited. So what did she want to do to celebrate? “Mom, I just want my family here for a cookout.” HEAVEN! Finally we all could be together and what better way than to celebrate her. Sisters sharing a bed (I heard giggling at night), multiple trips to the airport, washing towels, changing sheets, cooking, cooking and more cooking feeding my family with all the chaos that family brings. We had a blast! And it was Mother’s Day weekend! There definitely was no peace and quiet.

Yeah, once everyone went home it was nice to have a bit of quiet, but I will always treasure the joy I felt having everyone together to celebrate the love of family. So maybe when I look back on my years of wanting just peace and quiet; it wasn’t what I really wanted. I want my family to want to be with each other, love each other, and to treasure us. And I’m discovering that’s what I have. But please don’t tell my kids that my desire for peace and quiet was all a joke. I’m still dreaming of that cabin in the woods.

Here’s another family favorite recipe. “Mommy, can you make Amish Chicken?” Of course I can.

This recipe is from one of my favorite cookbooks; “Cooking from Quilt Country” by Marcia Adams. It’s a great way to have yummy fried chicken without the mess. Help Us Be Nice, Amen.

“Oven-Fried Chicken” – Marcia Adams

1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup (2/3 stick) butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp dried marjoram
8-9 chicken pieces-legs, thighs, breasts

Place oil and butter in a shallow 9×13 pan and put in a preheated 375 degree oven to melt. Set aside.
In a large paper sack, combine the flour and seasonings. Roll the chicken pieces, one at time, in the melted oil-butter mixture, then drop in the sack and shake to cover. Place on a dish or wax paper. Once all pieces are coated, place them in the pan, skin side down.
Bake for 45 minutes. Turn pieces over and bake 5-10 minutes longer.
If you can afford the calories, the pan drippings make great gravy.

Cabin Photo by Taylor Simpson