bake 52: week 16-- Strawberry Rhubarb Pie. Well, sorta.

This week was hosted by Valerie!  Check her out here! Thanks for hosting, Valerie!

Today, as I was working on my pie, it hit me: I have views on pie. 

This week's bake52 challenge was Strawberry Rhubarb Pie, and try as I might, I just could not find rhubarb!  It was found my others in the group from California to Utah-- but here in my neck of the woods, not a stalk could be found.  So I did the next best thing: apple.  

{With my home-canned apple pie filling, no less!}  

As I was working on my pie, I felt my pie views taking shape right along with my all butter crust.  

I don't know about all of you other bake52 girls, but I am amazed at how well received my baking skills are!  Not to sound kitchen snobbish or anything, because let's face it, I'm no Amanda-- but seriously, whenever I take a pie or rolls or something around other people, they all seem genuinely shocked that anyone really makes pies or rolls from scratch these days!  We are a dying breed, ladies.  Women who are willing to put in hours to perfect what could be picked up in minutes from the bakery.  

A pie, made from scratch.  Could it be an endangered species?  

Last week we had this media circus following a poorly thought out statement about Ann Romney "never having worked a day in her life."  Seriously, it's a good thing some FBI agents were naughty in Columbia or we would have never heard the end of it!  {Although I really think the comment was meant as a dig at the Romney's wealth, the media seemed to focus on this idea of whether or not stay at home mothers really "worked"}  As all of the news commentators weighed in on this whole controversy over "stay at home moms", I couldn't help but think, "Wasn't this our mother's struggle?  Or wait... even... our Grandmothers?!?"  Can't women make their own choices about how to spend their time?  I understand not all women have the choice to make-- and I'm grateful I do.  As I ranted on facebook last week, I was humbled when an old friend from high school, now a single mom, "liked" my silly status and shared her thoughts on motherhood.  I have no beef with single or working mothers- I think we all stand together in trying to raise the next generation to be better than our own.  But it was made clear to me this week- there are really people out there who think "just being a mom" is a poor choice.  And I had to grapple with some of my own deep thoughts about "just" motherhood as my career choice. 

As I made my pie, my mind swirled with thoughts about my own choices and a path I've chosen.  A path that many in the world think is better to hand over to someone else.  My mind settled again on what my heart always knows: there is so much value in home. 

There is value in quietly making a pie only four other people will see-- they will devour the pie up along with the memory of a mother who gently went out of her way to provide little lovelies for them.  They can carry that with them as the enter the world, their confidence built up over the years with cookies and kisses.  A mother builds her children's anchor to home, and that anchor can ground them throughout their lives in a way nothing else can.  

I may not be bringing home any bacon but I am recognizing the value of frying it up and making it last.  No one will give me a promotion or award in recognition for my years of quiet family service- but there is a place deep inside my soul that whispers to me, "This has value!" 

There is value in the daily, monotonous, never ending service a mother gives to her family.  All mothers are working hard-- if they are doing it right.  I truly believe that as I look back on my life as a gray haired granny-- I will have joy and satisfaction in the ways I spent my days laboring.  

Back to the pie!  Check that beauty out!  See?  There is value in a made-from-scratch, made-by-your-mama, straight-from-the-oven pie.  You take a bite out of that and you know someone loves you!  

 This is the face of a boy who knows he is loved.  See?  Pie will do that.  Of course, it's just the tip of the ice berg.  This is a boy who has had ten years of good, old-fashioned, un-trendy motherhood showered down upon him.  He knows he is loved and valued, and with that comes an expectation in his own behavior and choices.

I'm pretty sure this is the face of a boy who knows better than to go on national TV and say something ugly about anyone's mama.  

Please, someone bake this man a pie.  

I'm jumping off my soapbox now!  Visit Valerie for the Rhubarb Pie recipe!  :)