Mother's Day

When I was a child, observing duly the Hallmark favorites of Mother's Day and Father's Day, I remember often wondering aloud when it would be "Kid's Day." I mostly wanted a day wherein I would be brought breakfast in bed (a weakness for this rarely allowed luxury leads me still to order room service in hotels as often as Jason lets me get away with it). My parents would then laugh and tell me that,"Every day is 'Kid's Day'."

So, now it is my third Mother's Day as a mom, and Jason wanted to know what I would like to do to celebrate. I thought for a second and said, "You know, I don't want to do anything special, because, for me, every day is 'Mother's Day'." Jason made a face and said, "Come on..." Truly, though, I revel so much every day in the blessing of being a stay-at-home mama to my sweet Sadie and the wife of such a wonderful man. I don't ever feel like I need a special day to be honored - to me the honor is that God has given me these opportunities to share with Him a bit of the building of eternity. I just want to honor God on this day (and my mother-in-law and stepmom too, of course). There's a good reason why Mother's Day is on a Sunday - to help to remind us all whence the privilege of motherhood came.

Every day is Mother's Day. Every day, I get to wake up and go see my daughter who never fails to greet me with a big smile and a big hug. Every day, I get to watch her grow, to hear all of the amazing things that come out of her mouth from her vast imagination, to stroke her soft, downy head and kiss her smooth, round cheeks. Every day, I get to take my shoes off and dance with Sadie in the kitchen and chase her around the house and tickle her tiny toes. Every day, my husband comes home to me after working hard and says that he appreciates me - he appreciates me. With joy like this permeating every facet of my day-to-day existence, what need have I for some separate acknowledgment? That is the reason Jason and I have never celebrated Valentine's Day either - it's about living every day with love, respect, celebration, honor, and gratitude.

This is my seventh Mother's Day without my mom, and I do miss her so. I wish she could see Sadie and be the grandma that I know she would have been. I'm sure that I would have marveled at the softness and gentleness that she would have brought to the role, but which she always seemed so good at hiding when it came to being my "Mom." I bet that we would have grown closer in this wife-and-motherhood stage of my life, and I am so glad to have the hope that we will indeed meet again - and everything will at last be free and easy between us. Happy Mother's Day to you, Mom.

A public proclamation of "Happy Mother's Day" to the two moms now in my life - my wonderful mother-in-law, Sheri, and my stepmom of about eighteen years, Nancy. I love you! Thank you for being wonderful mom figures in my life.