Blessed Mother's Day

I hope that all my friends blessed enough to be called "Mother" had a beautiful day yesterday. And to those of you still striving to have that honored roll, I am praying that your dreams come true in 20011. I remember several difficult Mother's Days before my dreams came true. You are not forgotten.

I had a lovely Mother's Day weekend. For whatever reason, to me, Mother's Day is a bigger deal than my birthday, anniversary, or Valentine's Day. [Is that true for anybody else?] I just so looked forward to not being left out on Mother's Day. I don't think I will ever take for granted what an honor and a privilege it is to be a mom!

My mom and step-dad came up for Taevy's choir performance on Friday and then stayed until Saturday evening so that we could celebrate Mother's Day together. On Saturday Taevy, my mom, and I went to a sort of antique mall (River City Trading Post for the locals) and spent FIVE hours looking for nothing in particular. It was wonderful and we found some great little treasures! Saturday evening we went out to dinner to celebrate motherhood, followed by a great church service. Sunday morning we headed to my SIL's to do Mother's Day and birthdays with Eric's side of the family.

Mother's Day is so *NOT* about gifts, but I'm not going to lie and say I don't care at all about them. I mean, who doesn't like to be honored for a usually thankless job?! Here are the special things done for or given to me this weekend:

1. A ceiling fan! I am a HOT sleeper and usually have to sleep with an old box fan propped up against my bedroom wall. Saturday while the girls went shopping my step-dad installed a ceiling fan in our bedroom! I am dead serious when I say that I smile every time I go into the room and feel moving air!! [Remember, I sweat all the time because of medication. Moving are is THE key to keep me from sweating!]

2. I got to sleep in on Sunday while Eric got the kids ready for the family gathering.

3. I got my mom all to myself (okay, I shared her with the kids) for a whole day on Saturday!

4. I found some really neat treasures on Saturday. I needed something to put my jewelry in but don't care for jewelry boxes. I found lovely antique powder cases and candy tins at the antique mall!

5. A planter full of living petunias from Eric (via his sister, who did the shopping since Eric can't drive). I always tell Eric I'd rather have something living over flower corpses any day!

6. A card! A real card, from my honey! Again, hard for a blind guy to buy a card for his wife, but Eric found a way with the help of his mom, who read cards to him over the phone so he could choose it himself. And he did GOOD. Made me cry. =-)

7. A handmade fair trade African bead bracelet from our neighbor. What a nice blessing from someone who certainly was NOT expected to honor me! She loves our kids though. It is so beautiful!

8. Last but not least, a Mandie Doak original necklace! I told Eric about these necklaces months ago and Eric remembered. I have chosen "Eban" as the Adinkra symbol for our family. The Eban symbol is embossed on the silver pendant, with Ghanaian glass beads as an adornment.

Okay, I feel seriously spoiled after listing all of those things. I don't think I've ever received so many "things" for Mother's Day. You know what though? I would trade some of those "things" for handmade do-dads from my kids. Nothing like that this year. =-( Honestly, it's been a rough past few months with the older kids. I have definitely felt like a mean mom as we work through disciplinary issues. They love me. I know they do. Thankfully, they show me that in many every day ways. I'm so thankful for these children. I was telling Eric yesterday, I've just got to focus on the long-term goal. If I get to spend eternity with my children, it's all good.