Mother Of All Days

Today is Mothers Day. To all reading who are Moms I truly hope that you are feeling special and appreciated and loved today. I am. While my special gift of double chai spice wasn’t exactly everyone’s cup of tea , I loved it because I knew that they scoured the grocery store just yesterday thinking of me as they walked the aisles. I can only imagine how the conversation went:

“ Coco-puffs? She likes chocolate..?”

* Slug* Smack* “ You idiot, she has DIABETES ( yelled)she can’t eat that much sugar! Do you want to KILL her??! How about these bran flakes?”

* slug smack punch* MORON ! That’ll make her poop too much! Let’s go to the next aisle….maybe we can get her a dog toy?”

“ * slug smack punch push* “ Doofus! We don’t have a dog!.. Hey, we don’t.. but we could…… DAAAAAD ( who is three aisles over looking at tea bags and pretending he doesn’t know them) CAN WE GET A DOG?? MOM WILL LOVE IT!! I’ll WALK IT EVERDAY!!!! DAAAAD???? DAAAADDD!!!! ????”

Of course the best part of that gift was that I didn’t have to be there when they bought it.

I also received a beach towel with a flamingo print from my Mother in law. I collect flamingos. Don’t’ ask me why, I couldn’t tell you although I can trace it back to a college road trip to Cape Cod with my Sisterlike Friend, Debbie. We stopped at a tourist trap and each bought lawn flamingos for our dorm rooms. To this day we exchange flamingo themed gifts at birthdays.

Mother in law received cash from us. Another gift that, on the surface, seems a bit cold,. But it was for something that she had seen in an antique store when on a recent trip. She didn’t buy it then, but thought about it and once she got home called her friend who lived nearby to go back and get it for her. She didn’t feel the expenditure was necessary, but she fell in love with the item. She talked about it to both Brian and I separately and we are happy to help pay for it so that she can have it. You want to know what it is, don’t you? But, if I tell you, it will just sound odd. I can’t tell you the whole backstory, only she can, but she felt drawn to it. Who am I to judge her? I am drawn to lawn flamingos. Ok, I’ll tell you. It was a mannequin. Don’t judge! The backstory is very interesting. If you ever have the privilege of meeting my Mother in Law maybe you can ask her.

The gift for my own mother was a phone call. I know, really harsh and cheap. But this is the woman who INSISTED that Mothers Day was a Hallmark Holiday. She accepted our gifts, and the fuss we made over her on Mothers Day, but she repeated over and over again how every day should be Mothers Day. Yes, one of THOSE women. I can’t relate. I grab all the celebrating I can because I KNOW that while I am a Mother every day, everyday is NOT Mothers Day. Maybe everyday is Mother*******s day… but not the flowers, brunch and sweet card day that today is.

While talking with her we planned a trip together this summer. THAT will be her gift. Time that she ordinarily does not have with me and her grandchildren. Special memories for all involved that we will treasure for a long time.

Right now it is just after 4 PM. WE have been to church together ( all of us, Mother in law included). Mother in Law came to the Senior High Sunday school class that Brian and I teach. In the 17 years we have been doing it, this is the first time Brian has invited her to attend. The kids in the class would not open up if she was in there for a regular Sunday. She understood that, but this year Brian tailored a lesson around her presence. This was also part of her gift from us.

When people say it’s the thought that counts in a gift, this is what they mean. The THOUGHT behind the gifts is the true story of the love of the giver. The amusing trip to the grocery store to get the weird brand of tea that not every store carries, but my family knows is my favorite. The mannequin that will sit on a shelf in My Mother In Laws house and bring a smile to her face. The phone call to let her know that I love her, am thinking of her and planning to make shared experiences and special memories. The flamingo towel that nobody else will use at the pool because it is boldly obvious it belongs to me. Mostly the greatest gift behind these tokens of affection is knowing that the giver KNOWS us. That they know what will touch our hearts. It’s not about dazzling each other with expenditure, it is about dazzling each other by saying “ I know you so well, and love you because of it.”

To all my Mommy Friends, I wish you a very wonderful Mother's Day.