Mother's Day

Mother's Day is better than my birthday. It is the one day I can count on where I get to sleep in, and actually REST a good portion of the day. The kids make me cute cards, give me great hugs, and actually DO appear thankful that I am their mom. It is a day to experience the best of both worlds...having my kids with me, while simultaneously relaxing. A difficult feat, to be sure.

After a great Mother's Day sermon,( devoid of the previously scheduled "antichrist" content that had been originally planned following our study in Daniel....can you just imagine all the mother-in-law jokes capable of being embedded in THAT? ) we headed to my parents' to park ourselves for the day. Grandma ? and Lyle met us there also, for great BBQ, a trip to the park, and games of croquet. I enjoyed the comforts of the couch, which was MUCH needed after Melissa's big weekend. Melissa, too, was still quite tired, and spent her day lying on the plush living room carpet, playing with the new supply of Barbies. Laura was her typical, constantly demanding self, but it was so nice to have a collection of other adults for her to hound after, instead of just me. Tubby was so content to play with all the building toys...we barely heard a peep from him all day. I don't know what the big boys were doing....hanging out on the other couches, listening to their Zunes and iTouches. Speaking of which, besides all the beautiful cards, Michael gave me some dark chocolate he had biked across town for the day before, and Bob gave me my own iTouch! I now will have something to do during those long monitoring hours! I have tried reading during those times, but I am always far too distracted by the actual monitoring that I can't focus on anything else.....darn it all for understanding those heart rhythm strips anyhow!

So, Bob, thanks for the love, the great kids, fabulous support, countless backrubs, and always way too nice presents.

Pam, thanks for the gift of your son, and the love you have raised in him.

Alex, thanks for being such a great first kid, and such a beautiful Christian role model for your many younger siblings.

Michael, thanks for the chocolate, and your willingness to try out nearly anything fun and exciting in life with me.

Jonny, thanks for being so dependable and willing to help at every moment in time...and especially for being the kiddo caregiver in my absence.

Melissa, thanks for showing me how much the little things in life are to be appreciated and cherished.

Crispy, thanks for being the calm in every storm, and the never-ending unwavering helper and comforter that you are.

Laura, thanks for showing us the beauty of life, and the miracle of God's graces through your vitality and spunk.

Tubby, thanks for the overflowing joy you have brought to my heart, every minute of your tiny, lovely existence.

And Mom, thanks for the gift of life, and the raising of myself to be the mother of all these wonderful little people...without you, there would have been none of the above!

Happy Mother's Day, everyone!