The prettiest sedum in the world

Petunia gave me this sedum last year in honor of Mother's Day.

I wasn't a mother back then, and it was breaking my heart to be in the middle of the long bureaucratic wait to reapply to DSS. Petunia was more patient about the wait, but she understood and honored my anguish.

Petunia's big on symbolism, so she chose this particular plant because it would bloom around the time we expected our homestudy to be approved. She thought it would give me hope to see the passing time reflected in the growth of the plant. She gave me this sedum on Mother's Day and I cried in her arms. With tears in my eyes, I planted her gift in the little garden beside our house.

Petunia is a kind and wise woman.

I loved that sedum the moment it went into the ground, and I marveled at how tall and strong it grew during the summer months. When it finally flowered last fall, I knew we were close to becoming parents. As I closed up the gardens last November and mulched them with fallen leaves, I gave the sedum lots of extra padding. Of all the beautiful plants in our gardens, the sedum was my favorite.

Winter soon arrived and, as you know, Hester herself arrived with it! Then the snows started and they didn't stop till April. In the busy-ness of those winter days, I forgot all about the sedum sleeping peacefully under its mulchy quilt. When the spring bulbs finally burst forth several weeks ago, I was shocked to see the tiny Biedermeier bouquet of sedum peeking up at me. Somehow, I'd forgotten that sedum is a perennial.

Since then, I look at Hester's sedum every day. It spread to a different part of the garden--more symbolism, see?--and it's healthier and lovelier than ever. Better still, my beloved Hester Willa is here to enjoy it with me. When she's older, I'll tell her all about her Mumzy's kind and thoughtful gift. I'll let her know that every time I see a sedum, I smile and think of how our little family grew.