The other day, my photographer friend, David Glasofer of Image Up Studio, came over to take some "work in progress" photos of the commissioned steel and glass wall sculptures I am creating for James Monroe Elementary School. The forecast predicted rain in the afternoon so when he arrived at noon, I was focused. For safety reasons, I weld outside of my studio and since I wanted him to take a few photos of me cutting, grinding, and welding steel, we jumped right in. When we finished, I hauled all my equipment inside and we took a break and chatted. Then he showed me the photos. I was shocked; how had he photographed my mother??? Occasionally, since I have gotten my haircut short, I see her face in mine. But there was something more in those photos: the focus in the eyes? the set of my jaw as I concentrated? With my mom, she was more likely focused on cooking than welding but the look was the same. My mother passed away in 2012 and, in the years since, my own efforts at motherhood have gotten much more complicated as my kids have become teenagers, learned to drive, gone off to college. It's crazy how the circle goes around. This Mother's Day, if your mom is still living, I hope she's close enough to hug. If not, I hope your kids are. But if that still isn't an option, hug yourself. They are inside you too.