Happy Mother’s Day

Happy Mother’s Day in heaven to my mother, a woman of her era. Born and raised in rural Ohio with quiet, and basic German values. A woman who placed motherhood and being a wife first in her life. She sewed my clothes, made special meals, baked, cleaned, etc. and was the perfect “pastor’s wife.”

Happy Mother’s Day to my two daughters who are experiencing tight hugs, and homemade cards, and who get to be the most important woman in their kids’ lives right now. Kissing boo-boos, and singing kiddie songs, reading stories, and more. The days are long but the time is short.

Happy Mother’s Day to women who work and have to balance (ha – impossible) their time without regret. Showing your child that Mama is a well-rounded person is important. For some the job pays the bills, and buys the food, clothes them, and pays for all those little things that come each day.

Happy Mother’s Day to those mourning the loss of a child. Saying ‘happy’ seems callous. Here’s to those with strength to carry on, and to use their pain to help others. These mothers live their whole life with a huge hole in their heart.

Happy Mother’s Day to Ukrainian moms who have had to up and leave everything, take their children, and start again in a new country. Living in fear and uncertainty. Here’s to moms at our borders wanting the same… some safety, and hope – and a life for their children. Here’s to mothers from every country who feel the same love for their children.

Happy Mother’s Day to the active parent in the school system. The one willing to be ‘class mom’ and PTA member. Here’s to the mom who becomes ‘everyone’s’ mom with the child’s schoolmates. We all knew one. Willing to take on the burdens of other kids and always keeping the door open to come on in.

Happy Mother’s Day to stay at home moms, who still seem to have to answer to the important of raising children.

Happy Mother’s Day to replacement moms. Be they step-parents, or aunties, or Grandmas, who stepped in by choice to give love and help raise children.

Happy Mother’s Day to those without children – but wanted to be a mother so badly. Circumstance or physical limitations got in the way.

Happy Mother’s Day to the family with two mothers. Can you imagine a child feeling twice all the love one mother offers?

Happy Mother’s Day to those who ‘made it through’ and now look back, and sigh that it went by so quickly. First the scary newborn days. And then a couple of years of toddlers and play groups, and then off to school, and endless class trips, programs, and music concerts. Sporting events. Church rites and Sunday school. Watching them learn to drive, graduate – and then heading off to college. Not knowing everything going on in those years (and not really wanting to know) and praying they make it through. First apartments and first jobs. Phone calls about life lessons as an adult.

Then weddings – and becoming a mother themselves. The true circle of life.

Happy Mother’s Day to ALL who get to have experienced it, the good and the bad, the ups and downs, the smiles and occasional bad words. ha

There is nothing else like being a mother. Happy Mother’s Day!