“The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before.The woman existed, but the mother, never. A MOTHER is something absolutely new.
~ Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh

There are so many wonderment’s and miracles in our world, but I have to say, for me, the phenomenon of childbirth takes the cake. I am forever amazed at the mere fact that a woman’s body is capable of conceiving a life and has the ability to sustain and nurture this precious gift for nine months, bringing a new human being into this world.

From the very moment life is breathed into a baby within their mothers womb, an awesome bond, (both physical as well as emotional)  is immediately formed between the two of them. The physical bond beginning with the incredibly astounding umbilical cord…How can one fathom that the human body knows exactly when and how to begin to incubate and nourish this new life within?  As the baby begins to grow and develop, a wondrous romance begins… a love that the woman has never known envelops her. She’s willing to do anything to make sure her baby comes first and is healthy… She keeps weekly logs of her babies development and has now become an avid reader of every pregnancy book on  the market. She finds herself talking to her unborn child all the time, singing lullabies her mom sang to her, rubbing her tummy continuously and even though there are two of them, she feels as if they are ONE. When her baby is born, an entirely new constellation of bonding occurs as the new mother holds her baby in her arms and in seeing one another for the first time, an even stronger “love affair” begins to happen between them.

I can’t think of any other relationship likened to this beautiful bond of love.

The love of a mother, truly is one in a million…a love that puts self last and is committed to totally taking care of this precious new life. Staying awake each night for her new babies every need, giving up looking and feeling beautiful because she is so tired, her friendships and ‘normal way of living’ are put on hold as her baby takes up all of her time. (And she doesn’t mind one bit.) 🙂  She rejoices when her new little one shows “the firsts” of everything…a smile, a sound, a crawl, a new tooth, a first step, and they begin their journey together, seeing the world anew…(everything looks different through a babies eyes and each new mother is tremendously blessed , to get that magical view that has been somewhat lost along the way, becoming a ‘grown up.’) Her child’s dreams become Her dreams,  their needs are needs only she can fill. Yes, there may also be a ‘little bit’ of anxiety going on as the mother feels such a  great responsibility to shape and mold her child, make sure they are always safe, healthy, secure, happy and educated. When you think about it, its a HUGE job, but oh what a relationship and privilege.

This year, for Mothers Day, I decided to write on this special relationship… sharing 5, (I love this number as it symbolizes  ‘grace,’) things that are priceless gifts our moms bestow upon us, as well as five things we give back to her life, (surprisingly, not even knowing we do.) I hope these thoughts bring about an even stronger depth of celebration as you celebrate your one and only MOM and the relationship you share today.

 

The wonderful gifts our mothers give to us.

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THE FIRST BEING THE GIFT OF LIFE.

Becoming a MOM! Its something we as women think and dream about for  many years, (some of us since we were little girls.) For some, it is totally unexpected, unplanned and yet, everything else that was supposed to be completed before that little life began inside of us, surprisingly doesn’t  matter any more… For others, they begin trying right after they say “I do,” and because they want that baby more than anything in life, it seems as if it is taking forever to arrive...There is nothing that can be likened to being pregnant, carrying a life inside of you, giving birth  and being a part of  one of the most precious miracles ever created.

Do you ever wonder what your mom was doing the day she found out she was pregnant with YOU? Was she working full time at a career? Was she trying to get pregnant? Have you ever asked her how she felt when she heard the words from her doctor; “Yes, you are definitely going to have a baby and will be delivering by this certain date…? “

I love to hear stories about my mom when she was young and single. I often wonder if I had met her as a young woman, if we would have become best friends like we did as mother and daughter. She literally gave up every ambition and thoughts of grandeur to be a mom. It was her dream to have children, stay at home and spend time with each of her precious gifts. Just to think to myself, I was one of my moms, ( a beautiful woman in this world who whether or not she had kids was exceedingly smart, creative and talented) dreams come true. WOW… She gave her life to be my mom. From the time life was first breathed into me within her womb, until the day she died…She put me first…. how can you ever thank someone enough for that?

The same is true for every woman who can’t have a child and decides to adopt or choose a surrogate mother for her baby. The dream, the passion, planning, love, and miracle come true is beyond words and when she holds that baby, or toddler, or older child that becomes her son or daughter, for the first time, her heart bursts with fulfillment, just  like the mom who is holding her newborn baby in the hospital room.

Secondly, Your Mom creates a safe nesting place for you…your home

I think that if a woman got shipwrecked on a desert island and was able to get the natives to build her a big tree house, (like Swiss family Robinson,) that she alone could turn it into a beautiful dwelling place. They say that “Home is where the heart is” and in taking that  a little further, I believe, “Home is where our mom is.” 🙂 Our moms have such a knack of creating coziness, warmth and beauty wherever they go…

In my memories of growing up, I can honestly say that every home we lived in was filled with beauty, love and altogether inviting. (Being that my dad was in the service tells you, we moved a lot.) 🙂  Both my parents had great taste in home decor, but it was more than that. It was my mom’s loving touches that created a home that all of her children and  husband wanted to spend time in and come home to. She had a creative, genteel and polished signature style all of her  own and she made each room alluring and warm, whether with fresh flowers, a beautifully set table, magical candle light, bright and cheery window treatments or her  animated and felicitous seasonal decor she always took out for the holidays.  The home she made, influenced all my siblings as well as myself in how we decorate and create our own homes today.  Our moms are also fantastic chefs … they busily do all the meal planning, grocery shopping and cook for us meals that you just can’t find in a restaurant. My moms spectacular, southern home-cooking created an abundance of memorable, delightful gatherings around our dining table and also inspired her children, now adults, to learn to cook…(We had to or we’d never taste her Shrimp creole, homemade spaghetti sauce or savory, fresh water-Crab casserole again.) 🙂

Thirdly, HER FAITH IN US!

 Our moms are our biggest cheerleaders…they believe in us and are always encouraging us to do our best , persevere and become all that we dream of being. My mom always made me feel that I was someone of significance. She took me shopping for beautiful, (in style) school clothes, taught me how to wear makeup and encouraged me in my talents when I was growing up,(dance class, piano and writing.) She had to check out every potential new boyfriend… if they were not up to her liking, she let me know it. (She absolutely adored Kit.) 🙂 She always was there for me no matter what… I don’t know what my life would have been like without her faith and belief in me. It shaped my entire world. Our moms will do that you know? 🙂

Fourth, HER PRAYERS

 No matter what your family faith is , many of the moms that I know are the “Prayer warriors ” behind the family…spending many an hour praying when we don’t come home by our curfew, praying when we have our first job interview, talking to God ‘big time’ when we are going through a rough patch in life and  rejoice with us when everything is gong so well. My mom and dad both came from a Christian background. As my mom grew in her faith, I longed for the love relationship she had with the Lord, her strength and the quiet,yet infectious joy she had within. My mom told me once that she prayed non stop for all of her children to come to know the Lord in the way that she did, as His love had changed her life immensely. Now that she is gone and I see all my siblings, as well as myself, embodying that same love relationship with God that she had, I smile, thank her and thank God for giving me a praying mom. The prayers of a mother are  a wondrous, cherished gift…

Lastly, (but not really, as I could go on and on…) 🙂 Their hearts.

I’LL LOVE YOU FOREVER, I’LL LIKE YOU FOR ALWAYS, AS LONG AS I AM LIVING, MY BABY YOU’LL BE.

From the moment our moms hear, “You have got a  bun in the oven” to the day one of you leaves this earth….their entire heart  is yours,  24/7. There is no one that will ever love you with the love of your mother. Our moms hearts are so devoted  to us making them a  safe place for us to take refuge, in all  the storms of life. They’re  our (very wise) counselors  when we are so beyond confusion and frustration in our paths of life, a wonderful, tangible  warm hug when we need it most, a friend to cry with who does not judge and probably the best friend in life we will ever have. They never leave you, and they never threaten to. They are solid, filled with an unconditional love that many we will meet in life, will not have for us. They are our rock in many ways…In all the years I was blessed to have my mom on this earth, I never doubted her heart of love for me…it was, ( and still is) one of my greatest blessings in life.

WHAT DO WE GIVE IN RETURN TO  OUR MOMS?

First off, we fulfill their dream to have a baby.

 YES…Your a dream come true for your mom.

I can still  remember driving in our Red Jeep Cherokee one day when my husband Kit looked over at me and said; “You know what Susan, you really are my dream come true. When I was in high school, I prayed and asked God for a wife and I gave him all the qualities I wanted in the woman who I would spend my life with. I am looking at you now and you are everything I asked for, you really are my dream…” I still blush like crazy even thinking about Kits words that day, (and I am reminded I need to go and get my hair highlighted SOON, as the ‘blonde hair part’ was in his dream too. 🙂 (Just joshing…but I do  need to make that appointment.) 🙂   I share this because it feels absolutely euphoric to be told that you are someones dream come true.

Have you ever  thought to yourself that out of all the dreams your mom could have pursued, she chose to pursue you? You were her choice.. having you and raising you was how she wanted to spend her life.She spent much of her time dreaming of  what your name would be, how she would decorate and create your nursery,  and at least a hundred ways she was going to spoil you, love you and bring your life happiness and joy.

Secondly,  Your able to touch their life like no one else can.

You are unique. Whether you are an only child or one of many, there is only one you... My mom had 8 children… When asked by her kids, “Mom who is your very favorite?” She would always answer with her sweet smile and charming southern drawl; “Yooo-uuu.”  🙂 I had a fabulous seat in the family birth-line to watch my siblings in action with my mom… I was blessed to witness how each of her children had  their own special way of making her eyes beam with joy and bring a smile to her face that began deep within her heart. One of my brothers, Rob, lit up her eyes every time he’d come home from school, or as he got older and visited with his daughter, as he always called her by her first name…”Well hello there Kathryn W.” He’d say, accompanied by a hug. That was all she needed to make her day. One of my other brothers, Jim, was a gift giver…When he chose a gift, it was the kind of present that you knew he had searched high and low for, the kind that made you cry as he cared and loved so deeply. He blessed her beyond and back with his loving , thoughtful heart. The stories could go one and on…but it is so true, you are the only one who can touch your moms heart the special way that you do.   No one has your talents, touch, voice, hug, heart or expresses themselves as you do… your the only one who can give that to your mom, blessing her life to overflowing.

Thirdly, Your the only one who can leave a part of them on this earth, long after they are gone.

My mom use to say, (as many grandmothers often do, ) “I love this part of life because I get to spend as much time with my grand baby as I want, but then when I am tired, I get to send them home. ” 🙂  I never knew the ‘grandmother’ in my mom,  until one of my siblings had their first child. OH MY GOSH…whenever my mom got a call to come and babysit, you would have thought it was Christmas morning. She absolutely loved and adored all of her grand kids. I can’t fathom what  it would feel like to see a third generation in a family as a mom…seeing your own child’s baby for the first time and then watching them grow…perhaps with her own fathers eyes or her mothers long fingers,( a destined piano player already.)  What a joy, miracle and gift to her… Its just one of those wondrous gifts you give to her life that fills her with awe.

Fourth, You fulfill the need inside your mom, like only you can, to be needed, allowing her to nurture  and love. (No Matter your age. 🙂

Lets face it…a mothers second name is NURTURER… Its in their blood. They love to feel needed and loved by their kids, and for us , that is the easy part…(well, until we turn 13, and that’s just temporary.) 🙂 Each child has a different way of allowing their mom to nurture and love them. For my five brothers, they loved her southern cooking, her special touch in cleaning up their rooms, the in-style T shirts she’d buy them, but mostly, they loved her listening ear. Many a time I would pass one of them in a deep conversation with her over a cup of Louisiana chicory coffee at the kitchen nook.  I’d hear the word “girlfriend” a lot… either with a voice of excitement and happiness or a tone of sadness and daunted emotions.  My sister, my mom and I talked each others heads off every chance we could get…(the three of us being the only women in a household with an overabundance of  testosterone.) 🙂 But seriously, my mom was the nurturer of nurturer’s and we were blessed and quiet happy to let her dote upon us any time she wanted. 🙂

And lastly, Your friendship… You’re one of the best friends she’ll ever have.

When we are babies, we’re our moms best ‘little’ friend…the one person she’d  gladly get up for, (day or night,) with a smile. She can’t wait to hold you, ask you how you’ve slept, sing to you, give you baths…she plans her entire day around your napping schedule. As a toddler, the friendship between you is deepening. Now you can talk…oh the laughter and conversations you both are having.(You both wish you had recorded each one, so that you’d never lose those precious moments.) 🙂  Now when the stories are read,  you get to ask an abundance  of questions and she loves answering every one of them. You both enjoy watching all the Disney movies together, (over and over,) just to cuddle up on the couch together…and there is nothing quite like your mom and you sharing your first trip to the zoo or Disneyland.   As a teen, sometimes we grow closer as friends, other times, there is a little (temporary) distance, but once that strange awkward time is over, your mom is your new best friend forever. As we become young adults, (often times moving out of the nest,) its hard to understand why its so hard for her as we are so excited to get out  on our own and she wants us to stay close forever. But the friendship  grows in a new way. Your now sharing your lives as adults, discovering new likenesses and the friendship keeps on growing.It is by far, the most wondrous feeling to be a grown up and have the one person who has stood by your side your entire life, knows everything about you and loves you to the moon and back, as your very best friend in life, and at the same time, have them feel the same way. I will never forget one the last days I had with my mom before she died…her priceless words will stay etched upon my heart forever;    “Susan, the gift of your friendship to me, since you were born has meant more to me than words can ever express. You have brought me so much joy and I thank God everyday for the bond He has given us.”

I could  never touch on all the gifts of this special relationship a mother and child share...Here are a few other people who have put their hearts on paper, or shared their hearts and someone remembered. ENJOY!

 (I loved this woman’s, witty and humorous writing on being a mom to a wonderul daughter. Great read.) 🙂

A tribute to Mom~ Tammy Black

The other day, a man yelled from his car window “you mother *&%*” as he waved his finger at me. I just smiled. It’s good to be somebody’s mother. Where would the world be without us?

I agree that we can sometimes be bossy, overbearing and worry-warts. But I need to interject that it’s in the job description.We are also our children’s biggest fan, loudest cheerleader, and life’s leaning pole. We love our kids endlessly and protect them at all costs. Nobody does it better. It is a blessing and a curse.

Anyone who knows me knows I love my kid. She has come first in my life since she entered it. She is my light and my pride and my joy. I love her with the breath of me.Still, motherhood has not been easy.

You know that excruciating labor pain and delivery? The yelling, screaming, crying and cursing? The blood, the sweat and the terror? That was the easy part.Being a mom is tough business. Once you’re there, nothing is optional. You’re in. You can’t change your mind, you can’t call in sick, and you can’t take a day off. It’s a lifetime gig.

There were a lot of different hats to wear, big decisions to make and curfews to levy. I confess that I didn’t always make the right decisions, but I always made them for the right reasons.There were late nights sitting up soothing an upset tummy or calming a nightmare. That matured into waiting up for her to come home. The younger years were easier.

The sleepovers, the parties, the boys, the tears, the dances, the heartbreaks, the carpools, the shopping excursions, the drama!  I wouldn’t trade a minute of it for a million bucks.Teenage years were beyond challenging.  I personally think that all mothers of girls between the ages of 13 and 21 should be given a medal of valor and a lifetime supply of chocolate brownie ice-cream.  It’s only fair. They say boys are easier. I hope so, but I think it all evens out in the end.

I still don’t know why we don’t get paid for this job. I am venturing to guess that the pay level would be in the 6 figure range. Whatever it would be, it wouldn’t be enough.Mothers are the only sure thing most of us can count on our entire lives.

I remember being with my boyfriend as we cleared out dozens of boxes that he had saved from his deceased parents. He had never gone through them and they had died a decade prior. We dove in.I was not surprised to find that one entire box was filled with cards he had given his mother throughout the years. She saved every single one of them. That’s what mothers do. We preserve and we cherish. We save memories for when we are no longer here to hug and to hold.

Cherishing is a good thing and no one does it better than moms.It would be a mistake to underestimate mothers. A mom will be the first to remind you that she brought you into this world and she can take you out. It would be foolish to challenge her.

I always said if my daughter didn’t fear me, then I was doing something wrong. She did. But what I later found out, was that she feared disappointing me most of all. What she didn’t know, is that she never could.Mothers will always remind us of who we are, what we are worth, and how we should be proud of ourselves. Mothers see what others miss and what we forget about ourselves.

As mothers, we are proud to see our babies fly on their own, accomplish their goals, live loving lives. The fact is we were always proud of them no matter what they did … or didn’t do. What moms don’t tell their kids when they have left the nest … is that we miss them every single day.At the end of the day, my biggest and best accomplishment isn’t the money I made, the businesses I ran or the big homes I lived in. It is that I am the mother of a beautiful little girl who grew to be a beautiful, responsible, funny and wicked smart young woman. That is my mother’s day celebration. That is my gift.

And so, I say thank you to all the mothers who have sacrificed so much, cried rivers, spent many a sleepless night worrying, cleaned up vomit, buried fish and hamsters, forfeited the vacation for fender repairs, went without so their kids could have. YOU are my heroes.

 MY BABY ~ Author unknown

I felt you.You were a pea. Then a lemon. Then an eggplant. I followed advice. I read twelve books. I quite coffee. Could you tell I was scared?

I talked to you, sang to you…I wasn’t ready.

But then You were here. Ten toes. Eight pounds. LOVE. Big fat love.

I held you. I fed you. I realized that I would spend my life doing things to make you happy…and that would make me happy.

And then there are the times I wanted to give up. You’ve made me rethink my sanity. You’ve made me want to fall f on my mothers feet and tell her that “I get it.”

But then you smile and you say my name…and you grab my hand with those little fingers. We’re growing together. We are seeing the world like its new. I will open my heart and love will rain down all over you. You’ll giggle, and I’ll do it all over again. And we will walk hand in hand, until you let go.

I made you, but you made me a MOTHER. ~ Author unknown

 

 

An excerpt from from Richard Sherman’s ‘ Barrow Street.’

From the kitchen, she went into the hall and from there to the nursery. She had left the door partially open, and now she entered the room softly. A small, rose shaded night light burned in one corner, atop the ivory chest of drawers, and the crib stood in the opposite corner, against the wall. Moving toward the crib, the girl paused by it, looking downward and smiling. A dark fuzz of hair lay against the white satin pillows, and below it was a profiled roundness of cream and pink, bounded by blue blankets. HE SLEPT. Mr Timothy Ryder Jr., slept. “Hello, Tim,”  whispered the girl, leaning over the rail of the crib. “Hello, Timmy. My baby, my baby, my baby.”

The miracle of life~ Author unknown

Before you were conceived, I wanted YOU.  Before you were born, I loved YOU.

Before you were here an hour, I would die for YOU. This is the miracle of Life.

 

Your little boy ~ author unknown

You’ll be his first kiss…his first love, his first friend…You are his momma and he is your whole world. He is YOUR LITTLE BOY.

I just had to share a Facebook post “Just a mom” by David Sommers…it SO TRUE!

JUST A MOM??? !!!!  JUST A MOM????… I can’t stand it when people say “Your just a mom?”  YES I AM A MOM (and a Damn good one!)

That makes me an alarm clock, cook, maid, waitress, teacher, nurse, referee, handy man, security officer, photographer, counselor, chauffeur, event planner, hair dresser, personal assistant, ATM and I scare away the boogie men. I don’t get paid holidays, sick pay or days off. I work DAY and NIGHT. I am on call 24/7 for the rest of my life. That just being a MOM!! I may not be anything to you, but I am everything to someone. “Re-post this if you are a proud mom who would do anything on this planet for your children.”

A Special tribute to their moms or motherhood from renowned, (grown up kids.) 

“All that I am or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother. I remember my mother’s prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life.”
~ Abraham Lincoln

“Any mother could perform the jobs of several air-traffic controllers  with ease.”
~Best selling author, Lisa Alther

 

“Mama was my greatest teacher, a teacher of compassion, love and fearlessness. If love is sweet as a flower, then my mother is that sweet flower of love.”
~Stevie Wonder

“My mother said to me, “”If you become a soldier you’ll be a general; if you become a monk you’ll end up as the pope.”” Instead, I became a painter and wound up as Picasso.”
~Pablo Picasso

 

 

“It is not until you become a mother that your judgment slowly turns to compassion and understanding. “
~Erma Bombeck

 

“My mother never gave up one me. I messed up in school so much they were sending me home, but my mother sent me right back.”
~Denzel Washington

 

 

A beautiful tribute to his mom, written by Frances Johansan

You painted no Madonnas
on chapel walls in Rome
But with a touch divine
you lived one in your home

You wrote no lofty poems
that critics counted art
But with a nobler vision
you lived them in your heart

You carved no shapeless marble
into some high soul design
But with a finer sculpture
you shaped this soul of mine

You built no great cathedrals
that centuries applaud
But with a grace exquisite
your life cathedraled God

Had I the gift of Raphael
or that of Michelangelo
Oh, what a rare Madonna
my mother’s life would show.

 A Poem to his mother, written by Nicholas Gordon

Mothers are the gardeners
Of wind-blown wild flowers.
They water them with happy tears,
Happy with them many years,
Even as the hours
Ring with sweet, sad melodies
Sighing through their bowers.

 

I was so touched in watching one of our favorite shows, “The Voice” as the contestants and judges gave tributes to their moms. I especially remember two that stood out…

Carston Daily said; “My mother is and has been the most inspirational person to me in my life.”

Usher Raymond said; “I would not be the man that I am if not for my mom, Jonetta Patton.” I love how Usher credited her by saying her name.

 

 

In closing this vignette, I want to leave you with one more short story…

A day with  my Mom.

There are thousands of “Favorite days” spent with my mom…its so hard to pick one, but if I have to, I’ll go with the “Lets sneak away to the Mall” day.

You know how when someone you love gets diagnosed with a serious illness, it changes everything inside your world? Just the thought of losing that person, creates the desire to spend as much time with them as possible, and you find that even the simplest hour spent together, is a rare gift, even if you do nothing but sit and talk over a cup of coffee.

When my mom was diagnosed with cancer, it turned our family’s world upside down. Walking through it with her was one of the hardest times our family faced…but we all did it together. My mom had surgery and went through months of chemotherapy and radiation.  After her last treatment, when the doctors met with my mom and dad, they were happy to report that her cancer was gone and she was now in remission.  I don’t need to tell you that we were all on cloud nine, celebrating , thanking God and were filled with a new hope and peace.

About a year later, my mom began to feel sick again. We were all hoping and praying that her cancer had not returned. Her doctors began running a series of new tests. It was at this time that my mom and I shared this very special day together.

Because she was not feeling well, her daily routine was taking an early morning drive to the beautiful, serene, harbor jetty in Dana Point, California. She and my father would park the car, get a cup of coffee and watch all the sea birds gliding above the swaying boats upon the choppy waters, and listen to the sound of the soothing waves as they splashed  upon the wharfs rocks. They’d come home, where she would spend many an hour in her beautiful, Southern style bedroom…It was the place that all of her kids came to see her, plus many  a friend and extended family members. There she would sit, in her dreamy and dulcet bed with its embroidered linens and tailored comforter, a comedy classic or one of her favorite TV pastors on, or a tape playing one of her favorite sounds in the world…an east coast thunder and rain storm.

I waked into her room that morning and she was in rare form…as I hugged her hello,she whispered to me, (as my dad was still home,)  “Susan, I want you to take me to the mall today. I want to buy a pretty night gown.  Now I’m not telling your dad were going as he would say ‘no, it will tire you out to much,’ but he will be gone for awhile so lets go and come back before he gets home.”   I laughed. We felt like we were sneaking away on a secret mission together…

My dad left and we headed for the mall… Upon entering, it was like walking down memory lane. We had spent so many of our days together, doing the one thing she and I always had done since I was a little girl...going to the mall, shopping, getting lunch and we knew there would be a quick stop off at Sees candies for our “drive home chocolate indulgence.” It was our special thing.

We ended up in May Company and they had an abundance of racks, filled with gorgeous nightgowns. We had more fun laughing and talking as she was picking out her new treasure. She’d hold up one or two she really liked, and ask; “Susan, what do you think?”  Every one she held up was beautiful…but watching the joy in her eyes and all the fun she was having was all that mattered.

She began to get really tired…supporting her weight , (which was hardly anything as she was so petite,) on the metal racks…I asked her if she was ready to go home and rest. She looked at me with her big brown eyes, “Absolutely not… we’re just getting started.”

Between resting and looking, she finally found the right one…It was beautiful.

“Lets go get some lunch, I am starving.” she said smiling over her victorious fete.

We went to the cutest bistro filled with the glorious aromas of home cooked pastas and fresh baked breads. Their salads and desserts were also homemade and we were both hungry. The meal was delicious. We talked about any and everything as we enjoyed the rest and our numerous refills of hot coffee.

After feeling ‘all fueled up,’ she said; “I want to get a bathrobe to go with my new night gown.” So we were off on our new quest. We saw a few at our return visit to  May Company that she liked, but suddenly she became so worn out, she said it was time to go home.  As we were leaving, she sat down on one of the indoor mall benches and said she wanted to rest before heading back to the car.  I told her I’d be right back and ran over to get her one of the bathrobes she really liked…actually, I got her two as I couldn’t decide which one she’d commented on the most.

We got our Sees candy on the way out and slowly walked to the car.  She was so tired, she could barely stay awake. When we arrived home, I walked with her upstairs and helped her get ready for bed. After she put on her pretty new nightgown, I took out her two new bathrobes…she was joyfully surprised as she loved them both and couldn’t believe I went back to get them for her.  We sat  together on her bed, listening to the sounds of an East Coast Thunderstorm, we talked, I rubbed her forehead and we laughed… “Now Susan, you know if your dad finds out we went today, he will not  be happy.” Shaking my head, I replied,  “I know Mom…but it was so much fun, I wouldn’t trade today for the world.”  I heard her say; ” Me too,” as she reached down and touched my hand…though not spoken, I  believe that we both had a knowing within our hearts that our memorable and adventurous  day together at the mall was never going to happen again…but we didn’t want to even think about it as we had the best time ever.

Well, my dad came home, and he did find out what we’d been up to… and lets just say, my name was not real popular for a day , (he forgave quickly)  but forever I will remember my mom having her last day at the mall, something we did together once a week, all my life, and believe me, she gave it her all..

As I hugged her and said goodnight, I smiled looking at her sitting in her lovely bed, looking so beautiful in her newly acquired bedroom attire…She looked like a million bucks.    I thank God for that day 23 years ago  and remember it today, with all of its splendid details as if it were yesterday…

How loving of God to give us one last shopping day together as He knew it was our most favorite thing to do together. 🙂

 

In losing my mom at the age of 33, I have  been blessed with many wonderful women who  have been a fabulous mother figure to me for a season in my life that I really needed a mom…  I know some of you have been blessed in the same way…So , Whether your a mother, a mom to be, a second mom to a child  you took under your wing  or a child celebrating with your mom(s)...I hope your day together is blessed and that it is a day filled with many happy memories for the both of you, as you celebrate your special relationship of a Mother and child.

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY.

 

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