Happy Mother's Day!!

To all of the Mom's out there, Happy Mother's Day!! Every day is really Mother's Day. To my Mom, specifically, Thank you for being the wonderful, strong, woman that you are. You have taught me so much during my life, and have given so much of yourself to my well-being. I Love You with all of my heart.

Bleeding Heart (Dicentra Spectabilis)

In my own little mind, this should be a day of relaxation and enjoying what it means to be a mother. It's a good thing that I have children, now I can put them to work today purely for my enjoyment. Who's going to cook dinner? Who's going to clean the bathrooms? Which one will do laundry? What about the lawn? Mopping the floors? Pedicure for Mom, any one? Oh, alright! Not that kind of enjoying that I have children. Maybe just looking at their wonderful faces and being so happy that I have been blessed with such wonderful bundles of joy. Two I carried in the womb and rocked as babies, and two that came into my life much later, but all bundles of joy. Who said that? That was when they were sweet and little. If you have teenagers and young adults, then you probably understand my sentiment. On one hand, you want to hold them like the little ones that they were, never to let go and protecting them with every fiber of your being. On the other hand (once the gums start flapping and the sassy attitudes start flying), you want to ever so gently, catapult them out of the nest. Of course only so far as that you can catch them if they fall instead of fly. Ya gotta luv 'em!!!!!!!

Mothers of the very young, enjoy every moment. They grow up so fast, and change in the blink of an eye, it feels. Enjoy their enthusiasm about everything that they see, it's such a great learning experience. It also helps to keep you young by remembering how it felt when everything was so new to you when you were younger. The new and endless possibilities of everything. It's all such a new experience. Cherish the wide-eyed wonder of childhood.

Mothers of older kids, guide them, but let them be their own person. Watch how their personalities grow and help them become good, respectful human beings, and more independent individuals. Intervene, but not too much. Let them grow. Bask in the new found freedoms that you have. You no longer have to carry a bag, the size of a small suitcase, loaded with toys, snacks and something for every possible situation.

Mothers of teenagers, learn to laugh. Not at them or in their face, but remember to laugh. Some of it is just funny, they don't get what you are trying to tell them from an adult point of view. You can't make up some of the stuff that happens with teenagers. The girls are moody, the boys are kind of gross and goofy, but they are fun in their own way. It's a growing experience for both of you. You are still growing as a Mother and woman. Enjoy.

Mothers of young adults, remember, your kid's are adults legally, not necessarily mentally. They still have to get there, on their own, with your help. Oh, guess what? They don't want your help, they know it all!! In their own minds, just like we did when we were their age. What goes around, comes around. Try to remember how you felt and what you thought when you were a young adult. I recently asked my Mother how she managed to make it through those years. You know what? She laughed at me!!!

The only advice I have for Mothers of children well into their adulthood is......go ask my Mom. Heck, for that matter, ask your own Mom. She'll get a kick out of it and you'll learn a lot about your Mother.

Happy Mother's Day!!!!

Go play in the dirt!!