Happy Mothers Day!

(This first ran in 2009, but the sentiment is still true today. Happy Mothers Day to all of you who are mothers! You have the most important job in this world.)


I had the luxury of having a stay at home mom when I was a kid. True, this luxury was provided to me and my brother by my hard working father, but my mother was also a hard worker in her own right. True, because she was always home I was never into much trouble, which at the time may have seemed like I missed out on alot of fun. But that fun, looking back now was fruitless fun. My mother always said, "Nothing good comes from being out after midnight." and she was right. It's a message I enforce today with my own children, even the 19 year old "adult" that lives under my roof. It's all about respect.

Respect. It was something I always had for my parents, and as I grow older with three children of my own my respect for them only grows with each day. I am appreciative of them allowing me to be me. Of allowing me to make my own mistakes and learn from them. Or being tough and being disciplinarians. For these choices they made made me a better parent, equipped to parent my own children. I am not sure that back then my parents realized their parenting would affect their future grandchildren, but it does and continues to.
I often say, if I can be half the mother my mom was and is to me then I will be successful as a mother, myself.

Today my mother is still my mother and regarded with that respect, but she is also my friend. One of my best friends. She can understand and empathize with me unlike no one can. She gets me. She appreciates and respects me too. And I am grateful for our relationship and for the guidance she has given to me throughout the years. So I wanted to wish a Happy Mother's Day to my own mom, Sharon. I love you! Happy Mother's Day!

And a very Happy Mother's day to all the Mother's out there. To single father's who play Mom and Dad. To neighbors and friends who sometimes fill in for mom's when they cannot be there.
Blogger Moms. Clematis Club Mom's. And My friends.
This day is all about you! Thanks!


(Below Copied)

Who have sat up all night with sick toddlers in their arms, saying:
'It's okay honey, Mommy's here.' Who have sat in rocking chairs for hours on end soothing crying babies who can't be comforted.
This is for all the mothers who show up at work with spit-up in their hair and milk stains on their blouses and diapers in their purse.
For all the mothers who run carpools and make cookies!
For all the mothers who sew Halloween costumes. And all the mothers who DON'T.
This is for the mothers who gave birth to babies they'll never see.
And the mothers who took those babies and gave them homes.
This is for the mothers whose priceless art collections are hanging on their refrigerator doors. And for all the mothers who froze on metal bleachers at football or soccer games instead of watching from the warmth of their cars.
And that when their kids asked Did you see me, Mom?' they could say,'Of course, I wouldn't have missed it for the world,'and mean it.
And for all the mothers who count to ten, and realize how child abuse happens.
This is for all the mothers who sat down with their children and explained all about making babies.
And for all the grandmothers who wanted to, but just couldn't find the words.
This is for all the mothers who go hungry,so their children and grandchildren can eat.
For all the mothers who take the time,to teach their children to pray,especially at bedtime,
and perhaps read them their favorite book 'Just one more time!!'
This is for all the mothers who taught their children to tie their shoelaces before they started school.
And for all the mothers who opted for Velcro instead.
This is for all the mothers who teach their sons to cook and their daughters to sink a jump shot. This is for every mother whose head turns automatically when a little voice calls 'Mom?' in a crowd, even though they know their own offspring is at home -- or even away at college -- or have their own families.
This is for all the mothers who sent their kids to school with stomach aches, assuring them they'd be just FINE once they got there, only to get calls from the school nurse an hour later asking them to please pick them up. Right away.
This is for mothers whose children have gone astray, who can't find the words to reach them.
For all the mothers who bite their lips until they bleed when their 14 year olds dye their hair green.
For all the mothers of the victims of recent school shootings, and the mothers of those who did the shooting.
For the mothers of the survivors, and the mothers who sat in front of their TVs in horror, hugging their child who just came home from school, safely.
This is for all the mothers who taught their children to be peaceful, and now pray they come home safely from a war.
What makes a good mother anyway?
Is it patience? Compassion?
The ability to nurse a baby, cook dinner, and sew a button on a shirt, all at the same time?
Or is it in her heart?
Of course it is her heart.....
Is it the ache she feels when she watches her son or daughter disappear down the street,walking to school alone for the very first time?
Or watch as they finally walk down the aisle,
Or see their dreams come true,
As they choose their path in life?
The jolt that takes her from sleep to dread, from bed to crib at 2 A.M. to put her hand on the back of a sleeping baby? The panic - years later, that comes again at 2 A.M.when she just wants to hear their key in the door and know they are safe again in her home?
Or the need to flee from wherever she is and hug her child when she hears news of a fire, a car accident, a child dying?
The emotions of motherhood are universal and so our thoughts are for young mothers stumbling through diaper changes and sleep deprivation...
And for mature mothers learning to let go.
aka Grandmothers' who will never really let go....For working mothers and stay-at-home mothers, who work just as hard. Single mothers and married mothers. Mothers with money, mothers without. This is for you all. For all of us... Hang in there.
In the end we can only do the best we can.
Tell them every day that we love them.
And pray and never stop being a mother...
For we know we only get one mother.
Just as they do....'Home is what catches you when you fall - and we all fall.'
Happy Mothers Day


The young mother set her foot on the path of life. "Is this the long way?"
she asked.
And the guide said, "Yes, and the way is hard. And you will be old before you reach the end of it. But the end will be better than the beginning.
But the young mother was happy, and she would not believe that anything could be better than these years.
So she played with her children, she fed them and bathed them, and taught them how to tie their shoes and ride a bike and reminded them to feed the dog and do their homework and brush their teeth.
The sun shone on them and the young Mother cried, "Nothing will ever be lovelier than this."
Then the nights came, and the storms, and the path was sometimes dark, and the children shook with fear and cold, and the mother drew them close and covered them with her arms, and the children said, "Mother, we are not afraid, for you are near, and no harm can come."
And the morning came, and there was a hill ahead, and the children climbed and grew weary, and the mother was weary. But at all times she said to the children, A little patience and we are there."
So the children climbed, and as they climbed they learned to weather the storms. And with this, she gave them strength to face the world. Year after year, she showed them compassion, understanding, hope, but most of all...
unconditional love.
And when they reached the top they said, "Mother, we would not have done it without you."
The days went on, and the weeks and the months and the years, and the mother grew old and she became little and bent. But her children were tall and strong, and walked with courage. And the mother, when she lay down at night, looked up at the stars and said, "This is a better day than the last, for my children have learned so much and are now passing these traits on to their children."
And when the way became rough for her, they lifted her, and gave her their strength, just as she had given them hers.
One day they came to a hill, and beyond the hill, they could see a shining road and golden gates flung wide.
And mother said: "I have reached the end of my journey. And now I know the end is better than the beginning, for my children can walk with dignity and pride, with their heads held high, and so can their children after them."
And the children said, "You will always walk with us, Mother, even when you have gone through the gates."
And they stood and watched her as she went on alone, and the gates closed after her. And they said: "We cannot see her, but she is with us still. A Mother like ours is more than a memory.
She is a living presence."
Your Mother is always with you.
She's the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street, She's the smell of certain foods you remember, flowers you pick and perfume that she wore, She's the cool hand on your brow when you're not feeling well, She's your breath in the air on a cold winter's day. She is the sound of the rain that lulls you to sleep, the colors of a rainbow, She is Christmas morning.
Your Mother lives inside your laughter. And she's crystallized in every tear drop. A mother shows every emotion...
happiness, sadness, fear, jealousy, love, hate, anger, helplessness, excitement, joy, sorrow... and all the while, hoping and praying you will only know the good feelings in life.
She's the place you came from, your first home, and she's the map you follow with every step you take. She's your first love, your first friend, even your first enemy, but nothing on earth can separate you.
Not time, not space... not even death!
May we never take our mothers for granted.
~Author Unknown~



For All Moms

A man came home from work and found his three children outside, still in their pajamas, playing in the mud, with empty food boxes and wrappers strewn all around the front yard.The door of his wife's car was open, as was the front door to the house and there was no sign of the dog. Proceeding into the entry, he found an even bigger mess. A lamp had been knocked over, and the throw rug was wadded against one wall.In the front room the TV was loudly blaring a Cartoon channel, and the family room was strewn with toys and various items of clothing.In the kitchen, dishes filled the sink, breakfast food was spilled on the counter, the fridge door was open wide, dog food was spilled on the floor, a broken glass lay under the table, and a small pile of sand was spread by the back door.He quickly headed up the stairs, stepping over toys and mo re piles of clothes, looking for his wife. He was worried she might be ill, or that something serious had happened.He was met with a small trickle of water as it made its way out the bathroom door. As he peered inside he found wet towels, scummy soap and more toys strewn over the floor. Miles of toilet paper lay in a heap and toothpaste had been smeared over the mirror and walls.As he rushed to the bedroom, he found his wife still curled up in the bed in her pajamas reading a novel. She looked up at him, smiled, and asked how his day went.He looked at her bewildered and asked, "What happened here today?"She again smiled and answered, "You know every day when you come home from work and you ask me what in the world I do all day?""Yes," was his incredulous reply.She answered, "Well, today I didn't do it."