Motherhood comes in all shapes and sizes, not designated by birth or raising another human. It is a state of being, constantly reimagining itself from depths of selfless caring and nurturing. Motherhood knows when to expand and when to trust in its gift of love and step aside.

Kate Janich, the co-founder of Rowan Tree, located on the Herndon-Reston boundary, wrote "A Thank You to Moms": "Motherhood is messy, it's complex, it challenges us to define ourselves – constantly. Some of us have lost a mother. Some of us have lost a child. Some of us didn't have the ideal mom, but that love is still there – or not. Many women dream of having children, but the universe has a different plan. Some women made a choice to not have children."

"Some mothers aren't women. Some mothers aren't biological or legally mothers but have become a stand-in and a rock for other human beings."

The Connection asked not the mothers, but those under their wings what they loved best about their moms.