Tomorrow is Mother’s Day and the internet is abuzz with heartfelt words of thanks to mothers everywhere and hilarious anecdotes about what real moms want for Mother’s Day. Since I not only have a mom but am a mom myself, I would like to address both of those topics. Oh, and I’d also like to add in a little something about my mother – in – law. Don’t worry, it’s nice.
I would like to think that when I was a little girl, my mother knew how much I appreciated everything that she did for me. I can only hope that I treated her well, because she devoted her life to raising my sister and I. Unfortunately, I know that there were times when I was a teen and a young adult that I was less than kind to my mom. The good news is that now that I have children of my own, I have a deep appreciation for all of the things that my mom has done and continues to do for me over the years. I don’t know how she kept my sister and I dressed so nicely all of the time, because I can barely get my little guys clothed on some days let alone keep them clean for more than an hour. I’m not sure how she found the time and energy to cook delicious and healthy meals three times a day, every day. I don’t know how she managed to do half of the things that she did for us. All I know is that when it comes to moms, I got lucky. My mom is a great mom and a wonderful G’Ma, and for that I am so very thankful.
Not only do I have a great mom, I also have a wonderful mother – in – law. She knows what it is like to raise energetic little boys, and she is a source of wisdom and comfort when I am at my wit’s end. Her calm and realistic perspective helps me to understand that while parenting can be hard at times, the kids really will be all right. I can’t argue with that, she’s raised three kids and all of them are great people – especially my husband. Whenever I find myself perplexed (and occasionally horrified) by the antics of my little guys, my mother – in – law is always there for me with warmth and humor, and for that I am very, very thankful.
Okay, so here is the part where I am supposed to inject my own humorous anecdote about what I would like for Mother’s Day. Because of our family’s schedule, me sleeping in is not an option. However, I would like everyone to wake up happy and not crying or whining. I would also like the period of time between waking up and breakfast being served to be free of crying and whining. Before my husband goes to work, I would love to be able to have a conversation with him without our attention being diverted elsewhere due to misbehavior, screaming, or both. At some point before the boys and I leave to go to brunch, I would like fifteen minutes to myself to get dressed. This means fifteen minutes without someone asking whether he can wear my dress, wear my jewelry, use my hair straightener, or wear my makeup. Once we are out and about, I would like a day that is relatively free of tantrums or meltdowns, a day where I can give loads of hugs and kisses and find plenty of little opportunities to marvel at just how awesome my little boys are. Perhaps that isn’t really all that humorous, but it sure would make for a nice day.