Happy Mother's Day To Me!

Happy Mother's Day to me and to all mothers out there and to all who are motherly people and to all people who have had a good mother.

I'm so lucky because I have a wonderful mother and mother-in-law and that I get to be a mother to my Sweet Mary Pie


Here are a few anecdotes I thought you might enjoy . . . .

First off - in honor of my Mother-in-Law Ellen . . .

Before Jeff and I were engaged, Jeff's parents invited me to come to Houston after Christmas to spend some time with them and get to know their family. It was the first time that I had met most of them (I had already met Jeff's Dad) and I had a wonderful time. I did manage to embarrass myself however - a couple of times. The first night there, I got sick and threw up half of the night. They still all think it was nerves, but I don't think that is what it was. I ended up waking practically the entire household as I hurled into the toilet. Lovely. But Jeff's mother made me homemade chicken soup the next day and none of them seemed to hold it against me. The other embarrassing thing was the day before we left, Ellen I were conversing. She said something like, "So back to school next week huh?". And I said without missing a beat, "Yep! Back to the old bump and grind. ER . . .uh . . . I mean back to the grind". One of Ellen's most wonderful qualities - and I think evidence that she has that southern charm - is that she makes everyone feel comfortable with themselves. She doesn't put on airs. She just makes you feel like she loves you for who you are even if you mess up. Well, she just laughed and we laughed together and now we mention my blunder on occasion. I feel exceedingly lucky to have her as my mother-in-law.

And now on to my mother . . .
It would be impossible and entirely too lengthy to mention how wonderful a mother my Mom has been to me, but I'll just share a memory I have from my childhood.

Apparently in first grade - I think - I was having trouble figuring out how to subtract. So one day in the car afterschool, my Mom helped me learn with candy corn (must've been around Halloween). She would set out several candy corn and have me count them and then she'd take some away to illustrate what subtracting was. It must've worked because I have no trouble subtracting now. My Mom was always there to help in such things as that. And I know that doesn't seem like a grand story, but I think that is what a mother does day in and day out. She is just there to help you succeed in life.

And now a little story about my own experience in being a mother. A couple of weeks after Mary was born, one night, I remember her lying on my legs while I sat in the rocker. The lights were off in the bedroom and just the hall light was on. I just was looking at her and probably singing or talking to her and rocking her. And I just felt that she was looking so intently at me. I felt that she knew who I was and might know everything about me. It was just a wonderful moment that I felt a deep connection with her.

I do love being a mother. I'm having a great time. Happy Mother's Day!