Mother’s Day takes on a special meaning for photography teacher and mom Sarah Podrasky after struggling with infertility for years. She and her five year old son, Phil, now share a tight bond.

Sarah Podrasky explained that before she had her son, on Mother’s Day she felt a piece of her life was missing and that the holiday would bring her sadness.

“I was obviously grateful for my own mom, grandmothers and other women in my life, but it felt like a highlight of what was missing in my life,” Sarah Podrasky said.

Now, she feels that Mother’s Day has become a more magical time, allowing her to celebrate and spend time with Phil each year.

“After facing that time of infertility and just not feeling like I would ever be [a mom]. It made it even more special, magical and meaningful to me,” Podrasky said.

Last year, they celebrated Mother’s Day by going to brunch and going plant shopping. The young son also likes to sometimes make cards, art and goodie bags for his mom on Mother’s Day.

“When he’s feeling generous, he’ll get a bag at home and just put a bunch of random toys, cookies and stuff in it and say he got me a present,” Podrasky said.

To manage being both a teacher which requires grading, making assignments and outside work while also being a mother. Podrasky’s priorities have had to shift so that she can be there for him after she is done working.

“It’s also made me a little bit pickier about how much time I spend on school stuff outside of work because I want to be there fully for my son when I’m home,” Sarah Podrasky said.

Throughout the day, Podrasky says that she misses her “tiny little best friend” and thinks of him often during the school day. They have a routine before preschool to say goodbye that Podrasky says helps her when she is having a bad day.

“When I drop him off at preschool in the morning, we have a little ritual thing where I’ll kiss his hand and he’ll kiss my hand and we put a kiss in our pocket for later,” Podrasky said. “If I’m having a particularly bad day, I put my hand on my chest and feel like I’m with him and it makes me feel better.”