For Mother’s Day

It only seems fitting to write a post on the subject of Mother’s Day, since Mother’s Day is this Sunday. Every year (for the past four years), I almost forget that this day is for me too, because I have three babies! I usually am busy making Mother’s Day cards with my boys for their grandma’s and great-grandmas, and their one great-great grandma.

I have been greatly blessed to have to make so many Mother’s Day cards or gifts. It’s a pleasure to have all of these Mother’s in our lives.

But for this year’s Mother’s Day post, I’m going to tell everyone about my mother. I call her Mama. My kids call her Grandmommy. She is like me, in that she doesn’t care for expensive Mother’s Day presents…or any present at all. Every year she would say “just be nice to each other and that’s all I want.” I’m now saying the same thing! So this post will be me being nice…(Mama, you finally got what you wanted!)

Almost everyone will say that they think they had the greatest mommy in the world, but I know I do. She’s dedicated her whole life to being a mother. She’s taught me almost everything I know, and without her example I don’t know where I’d be.

She stayed at home with us when we were little. I have the fondest memories of growing up with my family. The greatest memories of my childhood include my mama and daddy taking my brother and I to the river in the summertime. And playing in the yard, running through the sheets and towels that she had put on the clothesline. I remember coming home from school and talking about my day while she fixed dinner. Then walking down the driveway talking some more after supper. We would go shopping together, and do all the fun things mama’s and daughters get to do. She was always my biggest advocate and encouraged me in whatever I was interested in. She never forced me to do anything I didn’t want to do. Except go to school, of course.

My mama cooked dinner for us every night! Rarely did my daddy stop on his way home from work with take-out food—the occasional pizza or Chinese. I try to do the same thing, but it’s so hard for me sometimes! She dedicated herself to us, and I will always appreciate that. She put my brother and I first, in whatever decisions our family made.

Now, I don’t want to say we have always had the perfect mother/daughter relationship…and that fault was on the daughter side. We laugh now about all the times she wanted to wring my neck!

She wouldn’t indulge my foolishness when I wanted expensive clothes or something that I didn’t need. She taught me the value of a good deal. And sometimes when you want something, if you wait it will be even better. She spoiled us with attention and love, not with cool stuff. I’m thankful for that.

It only helps me better understand being a mother myself. I happen to have a firstborn that is me made over. So I know I’m in for it. I appreciate my mama much more now that I’m a mother, too.

I began to realize when I was first married, how much she really did for me.

When we were newlyweds, I would cook supper, then look around and see a bunch of dirty dishes and messy counters. After taking a shower, there were towels everywhere. My mama wasn’t around to clean everything for me! What a taste of reality! It was a little funny to me to come to terms with myself that I was in charge now, and I had to keep things tidy, not my mama! It might seem obvious, but it was just one of those things I hadn’t thought about too hard!

Now that I have kids I understand even deeper the love that a mother has for her kids. As I get older, I appreciate her more and more. I’ll say the same thing for my mother-in-law, and my grandmothers. Things that I thought were silly when I was younger makes much more sense now.

My mama is one of the best examples of a godly wife and mother that ever was. Her love for my daddy inspires me to love my own husband well. Same with my little boys.

Her dedication to her ladies’ Bible study group and Assisted living ministry is awe inspiring. My mama and daddy are faithful to the Lord. For their example, I am extremely grateful.

So, Happy Mother’s Day, Mama! And to all the Mother’s out there! Really, all your mama wants is for you to be nice, so remember that, too.