"She is as pretty as a ..."

A few days ago I was kneeling on the cold, hard kitchen floor, leaning over my smallest child. I reached to pull back her hair, to hold it behind her neck and off her face. Weak and visibly shaky she spoke to me over the top of an old bowl held under her chin, "Mom, I've never thrown up without you." I smiled at her and reflected to myself, what an honor it has been to serve her and her brother through all that life has given us. This is what it's all about. This is motherhood. Joy and blessings in all the ups and downs.


Today is Mother's Day. Each of my children have been planning for days with excitement. "Mom!" Tyler (7) invited me over to the easel, "Mom, write down some of your favorite breakfast foods, but don't ask me why, okay?" This last week I spent time in his classroom helping the teacher to get the Mother's Day project completed by each child. For hours I would help create page after page of this lovely book. By Thursday I knew the 10 page book, with a line on each page of a sweet poem written and illustrated by the child, almost by heart. Yet today, when I was presented with the book that Tyler had created, I still cried with joy for the love that he put into his project.


Andi (5) too would remind me daily, "Don't look in my closet mom - your gift is in there!!" Today she was beaming as she cuddled close to my side while she unwrapped each gift for me and gently put it into my lap. The precious words on a small, laminated poster she created made me laugh out loud and cry - tears of laughter streaming down my face - with the love and special thought she put into each line. It reads:

My MOM By Andi
My Mom is special because...she helps me across the monkey bars...even when I couldn't do it!
She is as pretty as a...rose, she is even beautiful right in the morning! Her hair stays in place! (this is where I started to laugh so hard I started to cry - it's so untrue!)
My Mom is so smart, she even knows how to...help Tyler with his homework and make sure he does it right.


This morning my beloved husband was buzzing around to make me a yummy breakfast, answer my every need, and stealing more than his share of wafer cookies at church to feed my sweet tooth and make me giggle. He then put together a nice sack lunch for me to take to the Open House I'm hosting in Seattle today. This afternoon while I'm away he'll do the grocery shopping and create a special 'breakfast' dinner with the kids for my special evening - crepes with raspberry jam and whipped cream, YUM! I am spoiled!


I watched both of my kids preform at church today. Andrea in her preschool group was chosen to play the bells for a special song. Those sweet little 3 to 5-year-olds sang their hearts out. Tyler, also chosen to play an instrument, was my little drummer boy standing tall as he tried to sing and tap the correct beat on the African drum he held. I was so proud of both of them. I thank God for all that he has given to me and this life that I am privileged to live!


Blessings to all you proud mom's out there. What a joy!