Celebrating Mothers

Today is a day for celebrating mothers. A day to remember all the things our mom did right, all the ways she made us feel loved, all the times she was there for us.

My mom is one of the greats (IMHO.) She takes care of us still. When I don't know how to handle a situation, or just plain don't feel well, she's the first person I want to call. When I need a shoulder to cry on, she is that shoulder. It doesn't matter the distance we are from each other, she will always be that person.

But what about all my "other" moms. The ones who have taken me in when I need a mom who is physically here, but mine can't be. I have more of them than I know what to do with sometimes. I love every single one of them. They are my friends, parents of my friends, people who love me and love to watch out for me.

Then there is celebrating my close friends who are wonderful mothers to their children. Children who I love as deeply as if they were my own nieces and nephews, and I love seeing them taken care of. I love seeing the joy in the eyes of my friends when they talk about their children. The pride in who those children are and who they are becoming. The hope for the future when we talk about those children.

Saving the best for last, there are my own children. They are the reason I get up every morning, breath in and out all day, go to work, smile, laugh, have hope for the future, and enjoy looking at the past. They mean the world to me, and I love them with all that I have in me. They are everything a mother could ever hope her children would be. Loving, kind, smart, and even as teenagers (or almost teenagers) they love me unconditionally. I could never ask for better people to have in my life and thank God for them every day.

Even when I didn't remember any of you, you all never stopped thinking about, praying for, and loving me. When I didn't remember my mother, she wanted nothing more than to hug me and make it all okay. When I didn't remember my friends, they wanted to make sure their children understood what a wonderful person they all saw me to be (even, or maybe especially, when I didn't see it myself.) When I didn't recognize my own children, they hugged me and loved me, they missed me and wanted me back in their lives. No matter how much I've hurt those around me, I've never stopped being and feeling loved.

For all the mothers out there, and all those with a "mother's" heart, I want to wish you all a HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!! Thank you for all you do.