Honoring Tha' Day

I spent part of Mother's Day morning burning a cd of my favorite Missy Elliott tunes for a friend. As I did so, I surprised myself when I realized how very appropriate this activity was. Missy Elliott, a quadruple threat: rapper, singer, songwriter and producer is on my list of favorite, very cool strong women. She has chartered new territory in a field that is male dominated...and she Works It.

Missy doesn't have children that I am aware of, but I do find her to possess authentic Mother-Energy. Over the years she has nurtured other artists, gathered people together, spoke out on behalf of others and has become a strong, competent, honest female icon in a world of sleezy, booty-baring PopTarts.

As is my style, I started trippin' on my thoughts about this Mother-Energy and where I cultivate it in my own life. Areas that I gravitate to are: mothering the earth as I garden, nurturing others as part of my work, caring for friends and family in need, creating delicious food and meaningful art/craft to nourish my soul and never giving up hope that one day I will sharpen my focus on said Mother-Energy when our long-awaited child enters our lives.

I hope to be a mother that creates adventure and fun in our life as a family. When I reflected upon how to honor Mother's Day 2007 - I decided that it was time for an adventure for Jzboy and I. What could be better than reservations at a killer Hot Pot restaurant for Sunday? Our first Hot Pot experience. No way I was going to be all mopey with Hot Pot plans on the brain.


This place is called "Little Sheep" and apparently has over 700 locations in China! Some of my Canadian friends may be familiar with it because there are a handful of places up there. Our little place is the first US restaurant. How lucky are we?


Jzboy and I felt just a little closer to China on Sunday seeing as we were two of the only Caucasian people in the place. It would have been nice to know some Chinese phrases so we could have asked the kids next to us what they were having. We did pretty well because the waiter was very nice and helpful.

See how the pot is divided? One side is mild and the other is very, very spicy.


Here is the array of ingredients that we chose. Fresh leafy veggies, tofu, noodles, shrimp and the "mushroom platter". Oh yeah, and fish balls!!! Yuuuum!


The two of us had big ol' grins as we rolled ourselves out of there last night.

Adventure with Jzboy, tofu and shrooms for dinner, Missy Misdeameanor on the radio and dreams of sharing Chinese culture and cuisine with our child to be...I'd say that it was a very, very nice Mother's Day indeed.

PS - BTW, Mother's Day also commemorates the fact that we've been logged in w/ the CCAA for One Year.

Whoa.