Mothers Day

The other day I stumbled upon a blog that I really enjoyed.  I have to admit, I've been disappointed on many a Mothers Day in the past.  Like I expect my family to drop everything and spend the entire day showing me how great I am, showing that they notice all the little things I do for them every day.  I don't expect gifts.  But I have longed for recognition and appreciation.  This year I was feeling different.  I decided to spend the day just enjoying being a mother.  Enjoying all four of the children God has blessed us with, and just being thankful for having been chosen to be their mom.  And when I read the mentioned blog, I realized I was not alone.  And she had some great ideas.   Judah is being dedicated in church this morning, which means we'll be on stage.  Not that anyone will be looking particularly at me (we're one of 11 families with new babies since January at our church, and all are being dedicated today!), or that it would matter if they did.  But since I've been lagging in losing my baby weight more this time than ever and most of my clothes still don't fit very well, I saw it as an opportunity to get something new to wear.  We've been very budget conscious lately, so while at Walmart grocery shopping one day, I headed over to the clothing section and bought myself a new top.  I think it was $12 or something.  So I already started my Mothers Day right.. I can feel pretty-ish for the day, and not feel guilty about breaking the bank.  Then, after reading that other mom's blog, I decided to buy a special dessert when I was out yesterday.  And then I came home and got some chicken out of the freezer.  So instead of expecting a lot of fanfare, I'm just going to relax and enjoy my family.  I'm sure Joe will grill the chicken for us, and I'll bet Brooklyn will be more than happy to scrub some potatoes and throw them in the oven.  She'd probably even be into making a salad.  And if not, it's something I can quickly do and then go back to just relaxing.  And the yummy dark chocolatey cheesecakes will be ready for us when dinner's over.  It is a happy Mothers Day.  

I wish I could see my mom today.  I tried to send her flowers but got the address wrong so they won't get there until tomorrow.  I remember when we were young, my sisters and I would try to sneak out early in the morning on Mothers Day to pick her flowers.  I bet she didn't feel very appreciated in those years (though I know she enjoyed the flowers).  She sacrificed a lot.  As a Navy wife, she had to hold down the fort while our dad was away on his submarine.  And she had to deal with all the moves across country every year or two.  That must have been hard.  I admire so many things about her mothering when we were young.  One of the most memorable things is that each morning, we'd wake up to find all the cereal boxes arranged on the table for us so we could pour our own breakfast into our bowls.  She sat nearby, with her coffee and her Bible.  Spending time with Jesus, and quietly making a statement to us about what was important.  She modeled being a godly wife and mom in her daily living.  

Happy Mothers Day to any mom who might be reading this.  I hope your day is great and that you can spend your day just enjoying being a mom, with all the ups and downs, joys and duties.