Mother's Day Post

Happy Mother's Day!

Mother's Day is this Sunday, so today I want to give a huge, loving shout-out to my own Mom -- Lady *S*.  She is kind of a maniac but she deserves props for putting up with the SIX of us kids.

Today I take the opportunity to tell the world why my Mom is special:

- She is ALWAYS there for me and my sibs when we need it the most.  When we need help she
  is the first person we call.  She lends us cash, advice or whatever she can at that moment.

- She used to take me out to lunch all the time for delicious food and paid every time too.

- She is willing to go to Bikram yoga with me!

- She has always told me the ugly truth about people before I was ready to hear it
  and now I am thankful for that.

- She gave me my siblings!! I didn't appreciate this as a youngster but now I certainly do.

- She has shown me that life goes on after relationships fail. Love comes and goes sometimes.

- She isn't an Over-Achieving-Mom and I thank God for that. 

- She was there to help support me through all 43 hours of Violet's long and strenuous labor/birth.

- She drops F-bombs like a drunken sailor and it makes me laugh.

- She is not afraid to get her freak on, on the dance floor.  This also makes me laugh, hard.

- She brings me coffee at work - not just any coffee, SB pumpkin spice.

- She introduced me to the likes of Queen, Patsy Cline, Peter Gabriel and Carly Simon when I was
  a child.  I think it helped to shape my love of good music.

- She tells me that "she feels happiest when she has all her children around her".

- She isn't afraid to speak her mind or be herself, regardless of what anyone says.

- She has a sweet job, takes care of herself and is an independent woman.  This strong
  spirit definitely has a positive effect on the kind of person I strive to be.

- She makes yummy spaghetti sauce, fried dough and donuts.  Her best recipes are our favorite
  meals.  Stuffed Shells. Best. Ever.

- She is the matriarch of my fam and she keeps us together through everything.  I feel lucky to have
  this given.  

- She reminds me through example how scary it is to text and drive. (Mom, please put down the
  phone and stop driving with your knee - we fear for you.)

- She always takes us apple picking every autumn and buys us those hot apple cider donuts! Yummm.

- She does her best to "accept" and like the partners we choose.

- She started the most awesome tradition of candy apples at Christmas. Mmmmm.. so good that I
  think about them all year.

- She definitely leads by example of what *to do* as much as what *not to do*, which is pretty
  much the natural position of any parent.

THANKS FOR EVERYTHING MOM!

I would also like to take this time to share why I like being a Mom.

Obviously having the most beautiful, spirited and intelligent little girl for a daughter is reason enough!  But of course, there are so many reasons I love being Violet's Mother...

- The moments of just us, the quiet or laughing times when we share joy, make me feel the best I've 
  ever felt.

- I love her smile, her dimples and her little buddha belly.

- I love dressing her. Shopping for her is waaaay more fun than shopping for myself.

- Her discoveries are amazing! 

- I love her love of bugs, unicorns and fancy dresses.

- Her sense of humor is awesome.

- Her drawings are incredible to me.  I love that she loves art.

- She likes chocolate and yummy sweet treats thanks to me.

- She likes to read books and I love to hear the stories she creates.

- She reminds me daily not to take my job, my problems, my gripes or myself too seriously.  She IS  the most important thing in my life afterall.

- She makes me want to be the best Mother and woman I can be.  Which is the very definition of   love.  She is love personified.  She is the reason I exist and the reason I do what I do.

- Being a Mom is crazy and sometimes I still can't believe it.  I don't know if it was my best idea because very honestly I don't know if I am really cut out for it most days, but I am so thankful it happened.