How do you say Happy Mother's Day in Italian?

Despite being here for nearly 3 months, my grasp of the Italian language is practically non-existent. I've never been very good at languages. Hell, I barely speak English. However, for the past month I've been taking Italian classes, once a week, one on one lessons. It is fabulous, not because I'm picking up much Italian (the teacher is great, I'm just a very lazy student), but I love going to class. I love that this week my teacher clued me in on some Italian cooking tips. I'm thrilled that next week she is hopefully going to show me how to prepare an artichoke to cook (you see artichokes everywhere here in their just picked state), and one of the best bits: the 15 minute walk back to the apartment, with my backpack on, ipod in, pretending that I'm 20 and not 40. I walk over the Santa Trinta Bridge, watch the rowers training on the Arno, the students strolling to classes, the Florentines being unendingly patient with the tourists. I'm not any of them, but this still feels pretty sweet. The absolute best bit, getting back to the apartment and not being 20 with all the associated angst, byt being 40 and on the parenthood roller coaster and most of the time loving it.


An update and a question for the TucsonMama Mother's Day Diaper Drive:

As of this morning, we've passed the $300 mark between donations via the Amazon Wish List & the Facebook Cause Application (search for Tucsonmama under Find Causes if you have that app). Wahoooooooooo! Our new target is $500 by Friday. Remember if you donate $25 on the Amazon Wish List or on Facebook Cause page and forward me your order statement to diaperdrive at gmail dot com I'll send you a card to present to your loved one.

Being able to help families in immediate need is really great, but why are diapers so expensive and why aren’t they subsidized by any governmental office? Do diapers have some wacky street value out of line with the stores? Is this just a matter of jurisdiction? How do we change this? Really, inquiring minds want to know. As the spectacular San Francisco group Help a Mother Out say: “If the government can make cheese, subsidize infant formula, AND childcare to the poor, why can’t they contract with Seventh Generation or gDiapers to manufacture diapers and then subsidize diapers?" Diapers aren't exactly an optional item and an item needed by the most vulnerable in our community, our children and the elderly. What do you think? Suggestions?