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Sunday is Mother’s Day, a day set aside to celebrate moms all over the USA. Although this year I will not be celebrating with my mom in person I will see her in a few weeks and we will celebrate then. This year she will be with my older sister and my niece celebrating not only Mother’s day but my nieces prom.
When it comes to my mother I am overwhelmed by my love for her and from her.
To say that I am blessed is an understatement, especially when it comes to my mother. My mother is not only my friend, she is my confidant, she is my anchor when life seems to be spiraling out of control, she is my cheerleader when something good happens. She has been my nursemaid when I was sick, my personal shopper when I needed a suit for interviews, my teacher when I was trying to learn to cook, or sew and so much more.
My entire life my mom has made me (and my siblings as well) feel like the most important people in her life. When she was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 36, her first thought was not for herself, but what would happen to her kids if something went wrong with her treatment. She wondered who would take care of us, who would share our days, and make our lives special.
She tried to make every holiday magical, and filled with traditions passed down from her own family and new ones that she made up. In December we always put out our stockings on the feast of St. Nicholas and in the morning on the 6th they were filled with candy, nuts and an orange in the toe. For Christmas we would celebrate doing little things, like baking, decorating, going sledding, playing carols, drinking cocoa, doing puzzles, and stuff together.
For Easter my mom made us beautiful panoramic sugar eggs and they were tucked into our baskets along with our favorite treats. We had egg hunts and Easter dinner.
In the summer she packed us up and took us to the beach almost everyday where we would have picnics, catch little guppies, make sand castles and swim.
My mom made clothes for us, our favorite cakes on our birthday, chocolate chip cookies and “Sputnik” donuts. Those were our special donuts because unbeknownst to us my mom didn’t like to roll out the dough, so she would pull off blobs of dough and throw them in the pan and they would be like donut holes with little knobs all over them. They actually looked more like meteorites but we called them “Sputniks.”
She sacrificed so that we could attend private schools, go to camp and to send us on our first trip to Europe when she had yet to go.
She divorced and held her head up high in a Catholic family that not only did not believe in divorce but had never had one before. She was the first.
She went back to college after her divorce and in fact we were in one or two classes together. She taught me what it was like to work full-time and pursue your dream at the same time.
I admire my mom for so many things, her work ethic, her lifelong love of learning, her love of books, and so much more but the thing I love most about her is love for her children. There is nothing that my mother would not do for us, even now when we are grown up with kids of our own.
Don’t get me wrong, everyday was/is not sunshine and roses. We had rules and were grounded, we also got hit with a wooden spoon if we were really bad and had our mouths washed out with soap if we swore. We had our differences and still do but at the end of the day we are still family.
As a child I never knew that all mother’s were not like mine. I realize now that not everyone in life had a life like mine or a relationship with their mothers like me.
So unfortunately Sunday will be a sad day as well, for those who have lost their mother or perhaps you are a mother who has lost a child, for those who are estranged from their mother or maybe had a mother who didn’t care for them, for those who are mother’s to children who are not their own and for those who have issues with their mother’s-in-law.
I may be forgetting someone and if I am I apologize and hope that you find some solace on this day and know that you are in my thoughts.
To my mother, I LOVE YOU MOM and I thank God each night when I go to bed for giving you to me.
Anonymous says
This is a lovely tribute. I love the Sputniks!
Mother's Day in France is May 29, so maybe that's more on your schedule.
I lost my mom in November and her birthday is next week, making Mother's Day even harder. Oh, to give her another hug and kiss, or to pick up the phone and tell her what's up.
Castles Crowns and Cottages says
Great quotes. I am reminded of a quote I invented last year, and I need to write it out and put it up on my Instagram in her honor this weekend. Oh Elizabeth, enjoy your MOM!
Sandy at You May Be Wandering says
Oh Elizabeth, this is SUCH a lovely tribute to your mom!!! You are blessed to have her and now I understand even more, how you came to be the wonderful person YOU are!! I feel much the same way about my mom…you and I are both so lucky. Have a lovely day!! xoxo
Preppy Empty Nester says
What a beautiful tribute to your Mother, Elizabeth. Enjoy your week.
William Kendall says
A wonderful tribute to her.
I lost my mother to cancer three years ago this week, so Mother's Day is always going to be a struggle for me.
Dumbwit Tellher says
A beautiful testament to the love & gratitude you have for your mom, Elizabeth. What a great lady she is. I admire her. I know what it's like to be the first in the family to divorce & start over. Incredibly impressive that she was able to further her education. How I wish I would have had her drive. With a full time job & 4 kids, I didn't have the steam, but plenty women find that motivation & make it work. Mother's Day is hard not having a mom. I miss her every day.
Have a great celebration in a few weeks.
Leslie Harris says
Wow. This is an incredible tribute to an extraordinary woman. Yes, you were blessed with quite a role model and mother Elizabeth. It helps me understand the person you are, your empathy and deeply insightful thoughts you share here…I' have to tell you I've been really enjoying your posts so much lately. Your questions about having kids, leaving honest messages on blogs and this one too. I always seem to leave your blog with something to reflect on–
xo
Leslie
designchic says
What a beautiful tribute to your amazing mom…love all of the quotes! Happy Thursday!
Calypso In The Country says
Such a beautiful post! I can relate to so much of what you said – especially the chicken in the fridge quote! It sounds like your mom is such a wonderful person and she did everything she could to make you feel special.
Shelley