It's Karen's Turn column: Happy Mother's Day to every mom

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there. All of you. Whether your kids are grown, with kids of their own, or whether they are little and you struggle to find time to take a shower. Happy Mother's Day to the moms who knew they wanted kids even when they were kids. And to the moms who didn't think they wanted kids until their biological clocks started clanging at age 40 and, miraculously, they conceived. Happy Mother's Day to the moms who have lost babies to miscarriage, who felt the signs of pregnancy fading from her body and wept with dread at what it might mean. You're a mom too. You have known and loved the tiny life growing inside you, and it's not fair that you lost them, and your heart aches at seeing all the other moms being celebrated on this day by their living children. We celebrate you, too. You are one of us. Today we honor the moms of all races and ages, all sexual orientations, all abilities, all financial situations. We honor moms who are working hard to get sober so they can get their beloved children back.We honor the moms who use their own bodies to shield their children from bullets. Thank you to foster moms, who take in children whose own parents can't take care of them. And thank you to the moms working two or three jobs to keep a roof over their children's heads. To moms whose children are serving in the armed forces — thank you for raising your children to want to serve their country. To the moms who have to work on Mother's Day. I wish you didn't have to, and I hope you get some time to celebrate motherhood today. Stepmoms. Mother-in-laws. Single moms. Adoptive moms. Bonus moms. Grandmothers raising their grandchildren. Mother figures.To the moms of trans kids fleeing punitive states like Texas and Florida for the refuge of Minnesota, may your love for your child echo and multiply throughout our state. Happy Mother's Day to the moms who pass their skills down to their children, whether it's art or hunting, baking, or gardening, or speaking another language. Happy Mother's Day to the supermoms who are a force to be reckoned with, organizing school fundraisers and serving on school boards and PTAs, who pursue careers while also keeping an eye out not just for their children's present but for their future. Happy Mother's Day to the moms who are easily overwhelmed and just can't seem to get organized but who love their kids so much that their hearts melt.Happy Mother's Day to the moms who advocate tirelessly for their special needs kids, who make sure they get the services they need in school, who connect with other families for support.Happy Mother's Day to the moms who are new to the Alexandria area, and who haven't made friends yet. Happy Mother's Day to the mom waiting for the phone to ring, waiting to hear her child's voice on the other end of the line. Our children, our schools, and our communities are better because of you and your love for your child.

“It’s Our Turn” is a weekly column that rotates among members of the Echo Press editorial staff.

Reporter Karen Tolkkinen grew up in Plymouth, Minnesota, graduated from the University of Minnesota with a journalism degree in 1994. Driven by curiosity and a desire to learn about the United States, Karen Tolkkinen has covered local news from Idaho to New Hampshire to Alabama and landing at the Echo Press in Alexandria in 2017.