It’s my first mother’s day as a functioning-mother, appreciating my own mom. So in continuing to challenge myself to write about my mother, here’s a list of a few fond moments with my mom:
1) When driving over the mountains when I was little [they were actually freeway overpasses – but Houstonian children don’t know the difference] we would sing together, sliding into higher registers as we drove up, and into lower registers as we went down.
2) My first performance in front of people – singing “I love you Lord” – with my mom and lil sis in matching pepto-bismal-pink dresses my mom had sewn herself.
3) My mom clinging me to her chest, burying my face in her shoulder so I wouldn’t see and be traumatized the slaughtered deer that my dad, uncles, and cousins brought back from the hunt. It was 99% effective and I was just 1% traumatized.
4) All my birthday parties growing up. Having a summer birthday is the pits – my friends were always out of town and I always felt lonely. But my mom always put so much thought and creativity into each birthday party, that they were regularly legendary and the talk of the people who did manage to attend for decades afterwards. A particularly great one was 3rd grade, when we all had to dress up as our favorite heroine. She made me a Helen of Troy costume. We had crazy menus for a three course dinner, that involved what are still two of my favorite foods – ham and cheese croissants, and avocados with true French vinaigrette dressing.
5) Stepping in to finish my mom’s vocal solo at a nursing home, because she was so moved by the music and lyrics.
6) Every single Christmas morning when my mom stuffed our stockings [beautifully needle pointed by her, by the way] with goodies, showered us with thoughtful presents, and always devised a grand scavenger hunt for our “big present” of the year – which she had often made herself. Some parents might make presents that inspire their kids to roll their eyes and wish their parents knew where the nearest Target is, but my parents made awesome presents that we got tons of use out of – like our own puppet stage or our own swing set.
7) Playing chubby bunny at our farm house with my seventh grade Sunday school class – my mom was so cool, that even as a seventh grade, ornery adolescent, I wanted her to hang out with me and my friends on weekends.
8) Seeing my mom whirl around like a hurricane, packing a bag faster than I can unzip it, in order to jump on a plane to Colorado to be with my sister who’d just been in a terrible bus accident. It was one of the more horrific few hours of my life – but watching her have the presence of mind to jump into action in such a moment was just awe inspiring. It was amazingly comforting to see how capable she could be in an hour of dire need.
9) Spending the week before my wedding with my mom and lil sis – kayaking, going to girly movies, lounging in our hotel room, getting massages – just enjoying good girl time before one of the biggest transitions of my life.
10) My mom’s presence in my hospital room for the two hours after Sofia was born, stroking my hair and whispering comforting words while I tried not to be terrified or overcome by pain and sadness while I waited to meet my daughter.
11) Handing Sofia into my mother’s arms when she came to visit for spring break, and seeing her melt with tears of joy over getting to hold her grand-daughter
12) Doing facetime with my mom over our phones last week and watching Sofia grab the phone and smother it with a huge, juicy kiss.
Happy Mother’s Day Mom! I love you!
And Happy Mother's Day to all the other Moms out there. I doubt I ever told my mother in most of the above moments how important those experiences were for me - in the midst of most of them, I'm sure I didn't even know myself. But they were. So never underestimate the moments you share with your children. You never know what might be bolstering their little hearts with the knowledge that they are immensely loved by someone - whether anyone else is aware of it or not. I am just beginning to get a glimpse of what your journey might be like, and while I appreciated you all before, I have an even greater respect for you now. What you do day in and day out has so much more purpose and value than we ever recognize or appropriately celebrate. Thank you for the love you pour into our world!
What a privilege it has been being your mother. I've said this before, but it becomes more true every day: you make me proud in a new way each day. It is awe inspiring to have daughters who take on challenges and accomplish feats that I could never have even attempted. You also challenge me to be and do better-- offer a reason, a purpose and a reward. Now to be a grandmother is the next big and exciting challenge!!!! Too much joy for one person to hold!
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