Happy Mother's Day

I enjoy this holiday with a true sense of melancholy as my own mother is not here to share it with me. I still miss her so. I send her today my prayers of thanksgiving .

My own children make it a special day for me. There is nothing quite like the feeling of being awaken by the yell of a 9-year-old and the smell of burnt toast and sausage. I have to admit there is no better way to start a morning . Somehow they all manage to crawl up in bed with me and I am presented with their breakfast. The tradition began with Jamie, who at 2 years old dragged a gallon of milk and raw eggs into the bedroom. I made a real attempt to eat those raw eggs. There is nothing quite like the love of a child, raw egg in all.

The following years Daddy decided to help out a bit, and I have since been treated to cooked food, often burnt-but edible. Now the breakfast is made by all the kids. The gifts from the kids ae the best-Homemade necklaces, flowers, and cards made with gooey fingers-all wrapped in love. These are the moments that you wish you could keep forever. This year the "breakfast" was cooked by our little Timmy who took over the main job for the first time. With Daddy watching over the stove they managed a true delight. Daddy got mommy the gift of her dreams-a new tiller for the garden. I think after being married to him for so many years his love of power tools may be rubbing off.

While many Mom's spent the day in fancy restaurants-I was treated to Spiderman III and salty popcorn-and I wouldn't have traded places with any of them.

The rest of the day was spent in the garden with a tiller, 4 flats of flowers, a dark haired daughter, an environmentally minded 9 year old and a adult son all planting a garden. Tim began his daily battle with the pool but kept his language under control, in the spirit of the day. It has somehow become the one day of the year yard work is not a chore. Sunshine, laughter, dirty finger nails and a family all working together to make our little piece of earth a little bit nicer. I am so blessed...When I look into their eyes I realize that being a mother is a gift.