Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to the best mom in the whole wide world - my dearest Mooder! And of course to all the other moms out there. To my mother-in-law, my sisters-in-law (Marik, Vange, Trace, Edel and Len). To my grandmothers (ama and guama). All my aunts and titas too. And of course, all my friends who are blessed to be called "moms".

The world is a better place because of moms. It starts when you are very young. Moms teach you to sings songs, tuck you into bed, soothe your aches and pains, bake you cookies, fix your hair, dress you in frilly dresses and take you to interesting places. When you get a bit older, moms attend all your open houses and sit through countless parent-teacher meetings, tutor you after school, cook dinner for your friends, go shopping with you and throw you fabulous birthday parties. When you become a teenager, moms listen when you tell them about your crushes, help you get over a broken heart, giggle with you over the silliest things, go shopping with you when you need a dress for the prom. And moms even love you enough to ground you when you get bad grades or when you get caught sneaking out of the house.

After college, when you get your first job, moms support you by attending all your trade shows, pack you lunch every single day, wait up for you even when you get home really late at night and they always want to know where you are going (even if you think you are old enough not to have to tell them!). When you move out of the house for the first time, moms help you get settled into your new apartment, teach you how to do household chores (like laundry, and cleaning, and cooking, and how to make the bed!). Moms even attend your graduate school orientation with you - even if you are the only 26 year-old with her mom in the room with her. When you get married, moms are there to help you pick your wedding dress, to shop for your wedding registry, to help you plan the menu, to make sure you have gorgeous wedding invitations and give-aways. Moms (and whole families) even go with you on your honeymoon and help make it a truly special event. And even when you are in your mid-thirties, moms come over for visits (that are MUCH TOO SHORT) and welcome you into their homes whenever you want some good home-cooking. Moms still give great advice, help you plan your dinner party menus, share tips on how to keep a good home, listen when you need to unburden and encourage you when you are feeling low.

I am truly blessed and very lucky to have a mom who did all these for me - and so much more. But the best part is she does it all so selflessly, never expecting anything in return. She does it so willingly, never needing to be asked. She does it so whole-heartedly, never giving less than a hundred percent. And she does it so naturally, never giving me reason to doubt that I have the best mom in the whole wide world. Thank you so much, mom - for all that you do, all that you say, all that that you give, all that you teach, and all that you are. Thank you for opening up to me, sharing your hopes and dreams, and letting me know when you need me too. Thank you for sometimes (and not nearly as often as I'd like), giving me the opportunity to give back to you too. And Mooder, even if I don't say it often enough, I hope you know that I love you very, very much and I am so grateful to have you in my life.