Cha Cha Chipotle Fiesta!!!

These are a few of my favorite things ...

To celebrate summer, the end of school, vacations on the horizon, and anything else you have to celebrate, here is one of our favorite meals of all time!

Wednesday, May 30th:

Cha Cha Cha Chipotle Pork Tostadas
Fixins - sour cream, cheese, refried beans
Homesick Texan Cilantro Jalapeno Slaw & Living Lettuce
Black Bean & Corn Salsa
Vegetarian Option: Cha Cha Cha Peppers & Zucchini Tostadas
Kids' Option:  Plain Shredded Pork with soft flour tacos ($6)
Dessert:  Camino Vanilla & Red Velvet Mini-Cupcakes with DIY Frosting (8 for $6)
Optional Add-on:  Mimi's Famous Chile con Queso with chips (8 oz container, $5)
GYTTW:  King Ranch Casserole (Chicken or SW Veggie, regular $25, large $30)

Y'all know that I love this meal - we've made it before and we'll make it again, because it's delicious, it's fun, it can be customized to suit everyone in the family, and it's a little taste of things I love from home.  Plus, we're about to take a little vacation to Hawaii, so I wanted you to have something good before I go!*

Okay, but before Hawaii, dinner next Wednesday!  I have written in great detail about all of these good things on previous blogs, so to save myself a little effort, I'll just do a little cut and paste job with links to those other posts for you here:

Pork Tostadas:  Our Cha Cha Cha Pork Tostadas have been a DOTP favorite since they made their first appearance over a year ago.  The slow-cooked pork roasted in our smoky chipotle marinade is so good it's hard to get it to the table without stealing a few bites.  Your family will have fun piling up tostadas with beans, meat, cheese, salsa & shredded lettuce, or you can switch it up and start with shredded lettuce for a healthy & delicious salad dinner!  You may want to throw some rice on too, or just enjoy it as a side.  Any dinner leftovers can be turned into burritos for an easy & tasty lunch the next day - bonus!

Homesick Slaw:  You would never find a BBQ joint in Texas without a great buttermilk slaw, so I didn't want you to miss out on that.  Our version - the Homesick Jalapeno - is a variation of a recipe created by Lisa Fain, the Homesick Texan.  I've become an avid follower her The Homesick Texan blog, so much so that I had to rush out and buy her cookbook to get ahold of this recipe as it was not featured on her blog.  We've of course modified it a little bit, but I feel confidant that you'll love it as much as I do!

Mimi's Queso:  And I know there are some of you who will be ordering dinner this week just so you can your hands on some Chile con Queso.  Some people might think that makes you a little bit crazy, but we just think that makes you family.  And speaking of family, we have heard that there are some people who will not share their queso with their own children, and we're just not sure what to say about those folks, but we know we admire their passion for queso!  (Mimi was my grandmother, and she apparently made up this amazing recipe.  All I know is that it has been in my family for as long as I remember, I've never had anything like it, and it's majorly addictive.  Consider yourself warned.)

King Ranch Casserole:  The King Ranch is the biggest cattle ranch in Texas, and they don't raise chickens (and actually most of their money is from oil), so I'm not sure why anyone named a chicken casserole after the ranch, but that's people for you.  The casserole is full of good things like shredded chicken breast, tomatoes, bell peppers, cheese, green olives and onions, and layered with corn tortillas.  It's our version of comfort food. (We are happy to do this with no olives if you prefer!)

There, now that also gives you an excuse to scroll around on the blog for a while, killing time while you wait for Memorial Day Weekend to start.  If you have even more time to kill, may I suggest spending some time at CakeWrecks.com.  It has not replaced Hyperboleandahalf.com as the funniest way to spend an hour online, but there are some very funny cakes gone terribly wrong out there.

For dessert this week, we love anything that gets the kids in the kitchen - frosting their own cupcakes is fun and can certainly be used as a reward for eating a good dinner!  Camino's Mini-Cupcakes can't be beat - vanilla & red velvet with chocolate & cream cheese frosting on the side for your young chefs to apply.  You might even find some sprinkles hiding the back of your pantry that would add to the fun!

Also, we've got many new things over at the Mini Grocery Store - fancy stratas that you will want to show off for weekend guests or trips to the beach, delicious hummus to enjoy with a glass of wine on a warm evening, and some of our famous Israeli Couscous (I know, I'm sure that many of you used the recipe from the newspaper to make it yourself, but just in case you don't feel like doing all the work ... ;)). Also, if you've got birthday parties or hostess gifts to buy, consider the amazing unbreakable dishware we have available from locally owned Be Kind Kids.  We love it in our house!

If you are new to DOTP and want to get on the email list, just send us an email to dinnersontheporchorders@gmail.com saying you'd like to be added to the list.  You can find out more info about ordering, who we are & all that good stuff at the Welcome, 411 and FAQ pages linked above.  

Finally, I hope you all have a lovely Memorial Day Weekend!  Enjoy the pool, your back yard, or just a long afternoon nap!

See you on the porch,

Claire & Alex

*Y'all know that I normally make several pilgrimages to Texas, and I almost always drive down there with the kids for a few weeks in June.  This summer, however, my parents are fulfilling a long-standing wish to take a family vacation to Hawaii!  So, next Saturday, we're all heading West for a family vacation in Hawaii, rather than Texas.  None of us have ever been to Hawaii, so of course we're very excited, but I will admit to you that I'm a little nervous as well.  So, it's my mom (prone to anxiety) and dad (has had Parkinson's Disease for 30+ years and is the most stubborn person I've ever met - not a great combination), my brother and sister-in-law and their two very young kids (introducing an element of chaos), my three kids (in order from oldest to youngest:  dramatic, lazy, and destructive/devious), Matt (mostly patient with my family circus), and me (a model of patience, kindness and good humor, never bossy, never controlling).
Previous family vacation highlights have included a trip to Ireland where my mother did not speak to the rest of us for two full days of the trip, a trip to Italy where my mom got out of the car by the side of a the highway and refused to get back in, a trip to San Antonio where we lost one child in a hotel and another at Sea World (both were eventually recovered), a ski vacation - the first and last - where my dad accused me and my mother of trying to kill him and collect his life insurance when we took him up to the top of a green diamond mountain, and many, many trips where at least one person spent part of the vacation in the hospital for things ranging from horrible sunburn (me) to vomiting (usually my brother, but once three of us) to injury from falling (my dad, refusing to not to something just because he has Parkinson's).  Once Matt even had to have emergency surgery on a trip we took with my mom and her sister to San Francisco.  He was in the hospital for a week, and on the way back home (driving, to Portland), we had to check into another hospital where I was admitted for a few hours to rule out pre-term labor (turned out to be nothing, but still).   And that's just scraping the surface of the fun times we have when we spend time together.  So, while I say that I am so excited to go to Hawaii for the first time, you, my friends, may understand why I fear that one of us will be eaten by a shark or push another family member into a volcano or suffer some fate I can't even imagine yet.  I'll send updates from the road!

Asian Spring Noodles

There are not too many meals that my whole, entire family eats with enthusiasm.  In fact, I can’t really think of anything besides pizza and … this Asian dinner that we had last night!!  I feel like something transformative has happened now that we have a second all-star dinner in the rotation.  And the fact that it’s super-healthy is not even in the top 5 of reasons why I love it.

Tuesday, May 22^nd:

Oriental Express Porch Pockets (with turkey or tofu filling) & Thai Chile dipping sauce

Amazing Asian Noodle Salad with Chicken & Vegetables tossed in Homemade Sesame Soy Dressing

Salad Toppings:  Napa cabbage, cucumbers, cilantro & slivered almonds

Vegetarian Option:  Asian Noodle Salad with Kidney Beans & Veggies

Optional Add-on/Gluten Free:  Make-Your-Own Chicken Lettuce Wraps ($8)

Optional Add-on/Low Carb:  Asian Noodle Salad with Low-Carb Pasta ($10 per quart)

Kids Meal:  Plain Noodles, Chicken & Sesame Dressing (on the side!) ($6)

Dessert:  Camino Bakery Ginger Lemon Cookies ($6)

GYTTW:  Goat Cheese Lasagna (with Italian sausage or Vegetarian, $25 reg, $30 large)

Okay, so by now you may have realized that we are a little obsessed with the whole Porch Pocket concept, and you may even suspect that we are planning our weekly menus based around Pockets we want to make.  Well, you may be right, but I for one think it’s not a bad strategy.  Starting a meal with a pocket pie filled with wonderful, flavorful things can only improve your chances of having a nice time at the dinner table.  These Oriental Express pockets are filled with ground turkey, crunchy water chestnuts, mushrooms & seasonings.  Dipped in sweet Thai Chile Sauce, I think you’ll agree with our family’s 5 out of 5 star rating.

As I was making dinner yesterday – chopping lots of vegetables, napa cabbage, shredding chicken and carrots, I kept thinking that I was wasting my time completely.  I can hardly get my kids to eat a single bite of broccoli some nights, so I figured that there was no way they would touch this salad with a ten foot pole.  I expected to have to employ my considerable bribery skills (enhanced by the fact that I had purchased a box of Diana’s Bananas – chocolate covered frozen bananas – earlier in the day).  I was trying to keep them out of the kitchen as I chopped and mixed, hoping to at least delay the complaining until we sat down at the table.  Imagine my surprise, readers, when this vegetable-laden, healthy noodle salad was devoured by my family.  They were even adding on toppings like cucumbers and cabbage.  I’m pretty sure it was the amazing Sesame Soy Dressing, recipe inspiration courtesy of The Pioneer Woman, but still.  Still.  I was holding my breath just a little throughout dinner, when my oldest child announced that he was “too full from the delicious dinner” for his chocolate banana.  I don’t even think these are my kids, y’all. 

I heart toppings!

In case you think I’m just being silly and exaggerating for the sake of noodle sales (who, me?), here’s a little background leading up this meal;

2002 – Get married while living & working in New York City.  Meals cooked = 1 (Thanksgiving)

2003- 2004– Have baby, move to Oregon.  Meals cooked = technically none, since cereal and sandwiches do not require cooking.  Realize that baby is very picky and allow him to survive on cheese & applesauce.

2005 – Second baby born.  Meals cooked = many, once I realize that eating in a restaurant with two children is a horrible experience enjoyed by no one.

2006 – Continue to cook, but do not make any effort to get the children to eat what we are eating because I do not have any idea about how to do this and enjoy eating dinner after they are in bed, preferably while watching Lost.  Plus, I was really tired since I also did not know how to get them to stay asleep.

2007 – Move to WS, where our house has a proper dining room, and decide that we will all eat a healthy, home-cooked dinner together every night.  I think you can imagine how responsive my young boys were to this new approach.

2008-2009 – Make significant headway in the kitchen, cooking dinner most nights, with only occasional tears at the table (mine).  Start to feel like I might really have this whole “parenting thing” down.

2010 – Adopt 15-month old baby.  Everything comes to screeching halt.  Mealtimes (and most other times) are totally disastrous.  I continue to try to make dinner, because, but if they are not well-received, things can quickly turn ugly.  Sleep deprivation and slight insanity conspire to make me believe that this is the ideal time to begin a business venture. 

And, voila! Dinners on the Porch is born.  Suddenly, all three of my children realize that they do love to eat whatever I present them for dinner and they appreciate how hard I work to balance work and parenting and our mealtimes are now conflict-free and filled with meaningful and stimulating conversation.  Or, rather, that happened for the first time last night.  But only the part about loving the meal.  The appreciation and stimulating conversation, not so much, unless you find it stimulating to hear Knock-Knock jokes made up by a three-year-old.  So there you have it. 

Finn, enjoying dinner!

Anyway, when we have a dinner that is successful in this manner, I like to share the love.  Add on some Lettuce Wraps for even more fun, and finish up this healthy meal with one of our favorite Camino cookies – the Ginger Lemon.  So fresh and summery, you will feel like walking in the grass barefoot!

Once you’ve enjoyed your Noodle dinner (and lunch the next day), I think you’ll be feeling pretty good about family dinner.  Keep the vibe going with our DOTP favorite, Goat Cheese Lasagna.  We make it with locally made Neece’s Extra Sage Sausage, four kinds of cheese, fire-roasted tomato sauce, fresh spinach and basil and lots of love.  The veggie version is great as well, with mushrooms, eggplant & spinach layered between noodles, cheese & sauce.  This is a great family dinner and also makes a great gift meal.  Paired with a great bottle of wine, there’s not much else you’ll want out of life!

That’s all we’ve got this week, friends.  Check out the Mini Grocery Store for some kitchen basics & cross a few trips to the market off of your to-do list. 

Have a great weekend & enjoy the sunshine!

Claire & Alex

Order 411:

• Please order by Saturday
• Be specific – let us know if you want vegetarian, large order, dessert, etc
• If you are new, make sure to include your address for delivery or let us know that you will pick up if you are outside the delivery area
• We are happy to send a meal to someone for you – just let us know the details
• If you need a gift certificate, just email me with the amount you’d like it for and the address where you’d like us to send it.  I will let you know where to send payment.
• Check out the Order 411 Page if you have other questions, or just email us!
• You will receive an order confirmation/delivery reminder on Monday night, so let us know if you don’t get it!

Adventure Pizza

Remember the “Pigs in Space” bit on the Muppet Show?  Every now and then when I sit down with my family for dinner and it’s a total free for all of eating, I hear Miss Piggy in my head saying “Piiiiiigs in Spaaaace.”  Anyway, this is a Pigs in Space kind of dinner, because you will eat like pigs and it will take your family on a little adventure without even leaving your house.  You’ll come back changed, ready to take on the world … 

Tuesday, May 15^th:

6 Mini-Pizza Flats with a million toppings!

Sauces:  Tomato Sauce, Homemade Pesto & Homemade Red Onion Compote

Cheeses:  Mozzarella, Goat Cheese & Ricotta Cheese

On Top:  Pepperoni, Mushrooms, Mixed Peppers, Fresh Tomato & Kalamata Olives

Salad Stuff:  Arugula & Roasted Red Pepper Dressing

Vegetarian Option:  Roasted Eggplant

Kids’ Option:  Extra “Kids” stuff – flatbread, tomato sauce, mozzarella & pepperoni ($6)

Super-Gourmet Option:  Fancy Toppings – Portobello mushrooms, prosciutto & marinated artichoke hearts ($10)

Low-Carb Option:  Low Carb Tortilla (to use for pizza crust, $3)

Dessert:  Two Camino Bakery Chocolate Dipped Macaroons & Three Large Chocolate Chip Cookies ($6)

GYTTW:  Chicken Mole Enchiladas or Sweet Potato & Black Bean Enchiladas Verdes ($22 reg or $30 large)

So, this whole extravagant pizza menu was inspired by my having a strong desire for salad pizza (my version is a pesto & mozzarella pizza, baked, with a tossed arugula salad right on top), but a realistic idea of what would happen at the table if I presented that to my children as dinner.  So, as in all things, a compromise was in order.  I ended up making 6 individual pizzas on flatbreads, each with a different constellation of toppings.  About half of them were topped with things I knew the kids would definitely eat – tomato sauce, cheese & pepperoni.  Then on the other half, I let loose with a wide variety of crazy things that I found in the fridge.  When I brought them all out to the table, I announced that we were having Adventure Pizza.  I gave everyone a little score card, cut the pizzas up into tiny slices, and we all had fun tasting and rating all of the pizzas.  There were some clear winners and some big losers, but overall I was surprised to see how adventurous my kids were when I turned the meal into a game.  It was fun, they tried (and liked!) new things, and now I know for sure that none of my children like hard-boiled eggs on pizza.  And nor do I. 

So, Alex and I put our heads together and came up with some great toppings – no hard boiled eggs – that we think will make for delicious and interesting pizzas.  We'll make some suggestions for combinations we think are great, but you'll probably make a pizza we've never even thought of.  You can even turn the whole thing upside down and make a pizza salad with pizza toppings mixed in to your greens.  Plus, we’ll include a scorecard so that you can keep track of the winners and losers in your house!

We are carrying on our “mixed” dinner idea this week with a great dessert combo from Camino Bakery.  Their Chocolate Dipped Macaroons are so rich & fabulous, but we know that not every person in your house may be ready for the grown-up-ness of fresh coconut cookies!  Enter Camino’s Chocolate Chip Cookies!  Mix and match or just have the dessert you like best – there’s no wrong way to enjoy dessert!

Our Get You Through the Week meal this week is always a big hit – Chicken Mole Enchiladas with a mild, delicious mole sauce.  It’s so good for family dinner, but also fancy enough to serve guests or pass along to a friend in need of dinner.  Our vegetarian enchiladas – Sweet Potato & Black Bean with verde sauce – are not just a pale substitute for the meat version, either.  They are unique, healthy and very tasty!

That's dinner this week, y'all - hope you'll enjoy it as much as we do!  Check out the Mini Grocery Store - we're making more Quinoa Salad due to it's awesomeness - I ate so much of it the last time we made it and was still sad when it was all gone.  We're so happy that the grocery store is making your life easier - keep sending us ideas for things you'd like to see!

Mother's Day Contest Winners!

I am so excited to share some of the entries we received in our Mother's Day Contest, as well as some tips & ideas to make your Day special!  We loved these wonderful stories - some funny, some touching, and then some just plain good ideas.

Tips for celebrating Mom in style!

• Plan ahead!  Moms don't like gifts and cards that were obviously bought at the last minute.  One reader reports that "I do not like it when he needs to leave on Saturday night to go out and buy my card."  DOTP agrees.  Moms also do not love being asked "What should we do today?" at 8 am on Mother's Day!  Give us a day off from figuring everything out.  

• Don't make a mess.  As a rule, homemade meals are thoughtful, as long as they don't create a nightmare in the kitchen.  Stick with simple meals (see ideas below) or make reservations, and make sure to leave the kitchen cleaner than it was when you started.  I would add that this Clean Up Rule could be applied to the whole house - it's not a relaxing day off when the next day just involves twice as much housework because no one did it on Sunday!

• Listen well.  Moms usually drop some clues about what would make for a happy day, but if you're not 100% sure, one reader says that her ideal Mother's Day involves being asked, "several times during the day, "What can I do to help right now?"

• Mix it up.  Moms mentioned that they want to spend part of the day with the fam, but it's also nice to have time to just do something fun with friends or alone.  

Easy Meal Ideas:

• Breakfast in Bed - Movies and TV shows have made it seem that if Mother's Day doesn't start off with breakfast in bed, it's a major fail.  However, the reality of trying to accomplish it  - particularly with the "help" of young children - can sometimes set everyone's teeth on edge, as cooking with little people is not accurately represented by said movies & TV shows.  If you're not confidant about being able to pull off a gourmet breakfast before chaos breaks loose, just feeding the kids breakfast while Mom sleeps in or enjoys coffee in bed will be appreciated.  If you're a little more ambitious, kids could help pick out a few of Moms favorite pastries at a bakery and some fresh berries at the store.  Grab a carton of heavy whipping cream, then whip it with a hand mixer and a few teaspoons of sugar for a sweet, easy breakfast treat.   

• Picnic in the Park - a picnic always sounds so lovely and peaceful, doesn't it?  Here's what normally unfolds in our house when we decide to go on a picnic, however:  Decision to go on a picnic is made very close to lunchtime.  We I begin to look around for food to take on the picnic only to discover that we have nothing that can be easily transported to a park.  Approximately one hour later, we have procured food, but hunger has caused fighting to break out and tempers to flare.  But I won't let anyone eat, because for some reason, it's super-important to me that we eat all of the food outdoors, otherwise the whole picnic idea has failed.  We arrive at the park, eat, spend 30 minutes disciplining the children and trying unsuccessfully to force them to run around and play while we relax, and then leave, often having accused one or all of the children of "ruining" the fun picnic.  So, here's my advice if you want the picnic to actually be pleasant:  make or buy sandwiches, juice boxes, and packaged snacks the day before!!  Whole Foods is your friend.  Ignore that it costs to buys sandwiches you could make for a tenth of the cost.  Pack the car with a blanket, balls, sunscreen, paper towels, etc the day before!!  Pack a cooler with food around 10 am & you'll be ready to roll in time to get where you're going and be happy when you get there.  Maybe one of these days, I'll even take my own advice!

• Mixed Grill Dinner - I love the idea of ending the weekend and Mother's Day with a dinner outdoors (on the porch, of course).  A grilled dinner is also easy to shop for, quick to prepare, and usually makes everyone happy!  Here's my easy grill dinner plan:  choose a few meats or veggies to grill that everyone will enjoy - shrimp, mushrooms, steak, etc.  Marinate for a few hours in a simple (but high quality) salad dressing/marinade.  Mix up a green salad with some fresh veggies, croutons & maybe an avocado or blue cheese to make it a little bit fancy.  Buy a loaf of really good bread & some great wine, and you're done.  It's easy, healthy, delicious and made with love.  

Ok, now that I've given you some ideas for Mother's Day (or any day) success, here are a few of the entries we received in our contest for Best/Worst Mother's Day.  We thank all of you who participated & congratulate our two winners - Julie McBride & Amy Thompson!  

Here are some of our Favorites!

In the category of "Dream On, Mama":

"Good=a day where I get to sleep in until at least noon, have 2 “full blooded” (non-diet) Dr. Pepper’s while I shop leisurely for some clothing for myself, followed by a walk and a massage, and then a nap.  When I wake up I enjoy a gourmet dinner cooked by my husband, then I will read a book while someone else does baths and bed with the kids, and then I watch a great “chick flick”  while I enjoy a luscious Australian Shiraz.  As a surprise I receive a gift of a vacation to a tropical island (leaving the next morning) and win the lottery before heading out of town :)  I write a successful book while I am on vacation and grow huge boobs and a flat stomach while away (al the while enjoying red wine and good food)."

In the category of "We've All Had One of These Days":

"On my very FIRST mother's day (my son was 3 moths old) my husband went to play golf (MISTAKE #1).  Actually in hindsight, what sort of moron agrees to let her husband play golf on mother's day????  Anyway, he came home and we proceeded to get in a fight (most likely about the fact that he had just played golf!)  So, I put said 3 month old in the jogger stroller and took off on a walk headed for the St. Paul's playground.  I remember walking down Buena Vista Road sobbing because it was  my first mother's day and here I was taking care of the child all by myself, when a man walked out his front door and shouted out to me, "Happy Mother's Day!"  Of course, this made me cry even harder because here was a total stranger wishing me happy mother's day and celebrating me and my own husband hadn't even done it!!!!!  So I finally got to St. Paul's playground and a short while later, my husband showed up and made some lame ass attempt at an apology.  However by then it was pretty much a moot point and I remember thinking, if this is how Mother's Day is going to be in my life, shoot me now!!!"

In the category of "Mom Loves Me More!":

Two years ago, my brother once again tried earning "The Favorite Child Award.'  He made sure he had the flowers ordered and paid extra for them to be delivered on Mother's Day.  When arriving home from church, the lovely arrangement was sitting on the steps with the note about what a wonderful mom he has and how he would do anything to be with her for the day.  (I personally think this would have even been better if he had flown or driven here as a surprise:-))  Just in case the flowers were not enough, he also tried calling SEVERAL times leaving such sweet messages for my mom.  I knew I could not answer the phone, and Mom was not allowed to answer hers. So, he spent all day trying to share his love and how much he missed being with her on Mother's Day.  Well with all the money spent, he was the one surprised.  The fact was that Mom was going to be with him and not get his flowers.  She and my father had headed to NYC for his surprise 40th birthday party to be held that evening.  
So with effort and planning, things did not go as my brother had planned for Mom.  I had to find room in the fridge to try to preserve the flowers until Mom returned.  While she was thankful and appreciated all his effort, I still am her favorite:-).

In the category of "It's the Little Things":

Best Mother's Day - when my husband and daughter let me sleep in, offer me a hot crusty biscuit from McDonald's accompanied with a large Diet Coke....and MOST importantly when my husband sincerely says several times during the day, "What can I do to help right now?"

In the category of "Mothers Can Be Hard to Please":

The worst Mother's Day I've experienced was actually with my mother when I was a child.  My father took me to Luria's (a local store with jewelry and household items).  My mother loved their jewelry and they offered many different price points.  As my father picked out his gift for her, he told me to find something.  I was about 8 years old, and he gave me about $40 to spend.  About an hour later, I found the perfect gift..... a telephone/alarm clock/radio for their bedroom.  This said item would sit on my father's side of the bed, but I knew she WANTED it.  (Oh, I was so wrong!) My Dad said he thought I should find a more personal gift, but I assured him, this would be perfect.  (Again, I was so wrong!)  She never used an alarm clock and didn't listen to music, but I thought she would like it.  When she opened it, she was "grateful" - she is a gracious gift receiver, but later I overheard her tell my dad, "what was he thinking!"  THe next day, I went back to Luria's and bought her a charm for her bracelet which she loved.  Just to be noted.  They had that phone/clock radio until they sold that house in 2004 - almost 20 years later.

In the category of "A Mother's Love":

"On Mother's Day, I would love to have my daughter return to North Carolina. My daughter returned to our home to live with us in February of 2011 when her husband was delployed to Stuggart, Germany. She had the opportunity to visit him last year in June for two weeks. Then, in November two days before Thankgiving I put her on a plane with a plan for her to visit with her husband for 10 days. She wanted to see him before she was too far along in her pregnany to board an international flight.

On Thanksgiving Day she was admitted to the hospital on the base in Stuggart. My grandaughter was finally safely delivered by cesarian in Feburary and the baby has done great. My daugher is still in the hospital as of today. After arriving in Stuggart she suffered kidney failure during her pregnancy and is now completely dependant on dialisiss. Then, the doctors discovered she had a rare blood disorder and receives blood transfusions constantly. Now she is currently experiencing heart failure. As much as I would love to hold my new grandaughter who I have not yet seen, to have my daugther return would be the greatest blessing in the world. I have done everything possible to work with the base hospital in Germany to have her transferred to the VA hospital in Salisbury. I want to see and touch her atleast one more time. She is my oldest daughter and even with three other children at home none of the others can replace her or take her place in my heart.

With the constant decline in her health it is very difficult to know this is the last Mother's Day I will have all my children alive. I would love to have her here with all of us to share our her with love for the remaining days of her life. Rather than her spending this time alone in another country. After originally leaving home to spend time with her husband, she no longer has even her husband or daugher close enough to see. My son in law has already been deployed to another country and took my grandaughter with him, since my daughter is unable to care for the baby. Having her return and close enough to spend timewith is without a doubt the greatest blessing my family could do or give me this Mother's Day."

And in the category of "Mom is Always in our Hearts":

"Worst Mothers Day would have to be the first Mothers Day after I lost my mom."

Thanks everyone - have a wonderful day!

Claire & Alex