May 14
Happy Mother's Day!
Can we say pancakes in Bed?
Sweet!
Honestly of all the things I could get on this day nothing is as awesome as the gifts my kids give me or make for me.
Don't get me wrong, I have a serious addiction to shoes and handbags. I love shiny things in little velvet boxes and did I mention, I love shiny things in little velvet boxes?
Through the years my hubby has been very sweet in his gift-giving. He loves to give me jewelry and since he is a thrifty and astute shopper, as in very cheap, he has a knack for finding incredible bargains.
Usually in my favorite metal of silver, among other types of costume jewelry that wore well and looked good.
I am not into expensive pieces of jewelry because I just don't see the logic behind that. I also like the fact that my daughters can borrow my jewelry without fear of losing it.
His generosity has created a good example for the kids. When they were very little they would make me some gifts.
Chris and Jess made me a really pretty necklace once.
I wore it to church on many an occasion and every time I did one of them would comment, "Wow, you still have that!"
Their faces would light up because I was wearing it!
Eric once made me a beautiful pumpkin pin sewn out of felt. He made it in sewing class in middle school.
Derek made me a police notebook when he was in kindergarten; I carried it in my brief case for my entire police career.
He found it in my memento box after my retirement and was shocked that it was still intact.
Alex made me a Christmas ornament also in kindergarten. He got misty-eyed when he found the pine cone decoration, almost disintegrated in a zip lock bag, when he was looking for his birth certificate.
Cristina made me a clay ring holder in my favorite colors of blue and white.
Jose made me a bracelet with an odd assortment of beads, which I loved!
Alexi made me a picture when he was also in kindergarten that I still keep on my refrigerator door.
James drew a picture of me and used it to make a collage of pictures of all the kids for me.
The boys one year wrote and recorded a song for me in honor of mother's day.
Now that they are older and working they will go out of their way to buy me some pretty cool gifts.
The one thing that I love is that they know me. They take the time to give me things with meaning. Whether it was jewelry, plaques or angels professing love for mom.
I love the things they buy me but honestly the things I hold dearest to my heart are those small hand-made gifts.
I hold them as more valuable than gold.
Once in a while I will go through my memento box and relive each moment. My eyes weld up feeling the love and reminiscing about their sweetness and devotion.
I also am in awe of how deep that love and loyalty flows. I could turn around and be the biggest jerk in the world to them when they were small and they would still be loyal to me.
I always prayed that I would continue to be worthy of that devotion.
I made sure to try extra hard to never betrayed that trust or love. Although I did not always succeed at being the best mom, they always knew I loved them unconditionally!
Once in a while they will still give me a gift that has a special personal touch.
A poem from Eric, a picture collage from the boys with words of thanks, a card from my daughter Jess offering words of gratitude for no reason other than because it was Tuesday and she missed me.
A phone text from Cristina saying a small hello and an "I love you", and on and on.
My kids are now spread all over the country yet I am blessed that we are even closer now than when we lived under the same roof.
We make an effort to actually do all the things we should have done when we lived so close.
When they come home for a visit we watch the silly movies, hang out together, have the talks that should have been had years earlier, but most of all we glow in each other's company and thank God for that special time together.
These shows of affection serve two purposes; they make me grateful for the gift of having loving children and two, they offer a glimmer to show that for as much as Mel and I made mistakes, some things we still somehow got right.
Now that they are all older, I still miss the burnt toast, runny eggs and messy kitchen. I miss the home-made gifts and piggy pile of kids on my bed, waiting wide eyed for me to open their gifts.
But as much as I miss those times, I know that I will always have the memories, the mementos and most of all the knowledge that I am loved by some very special people!
It is amazing to me how God's greatest gift to us, next to Jesus' sacrificing atonement, is the amazing joy of children and their incredible sweetness and love.
Motherhood rocks!
