Mom Moments-Celebrating May 9-Mother's Day!

Today we celebrate the MOM MOMENTS. Maybe it's a special memory of your mom, step-mom, grandmother, or aunt. Maybe a lesson learned, a cherished recipe, or being mom to a special pet. Share with us your "moment"- 

AMANDA

My kids tease me about crying. They know my heart is happy whenever we are all together. It’s become a game of sorts, to see what gift can make mom cry. Those range from freshly plucked dandelion bouquets, handmade gifts, seeing my kids grow from childhood to adults and all the cherished memories we’ve made as a family.

I went straight into the workforce from high school, (no college) married three years later, and we both worked to put hubby through medical school. We started a family, dealt with cancer and had our share of obstacles and joys.

I did not begin my writing career in earnest until years later, when after my third birth (twins) I chose to be a stay-at-home mom (and all the volunteer work that involves) I wrote a weekly newspaper column on the importance of the Fine Arts. (near and dear to my heart) and bottom line, consider myself a renaissance woman, of sorts.

Fast forward several years to Mother’s Day. Joyous at having my family around me, I had not expected the “mom moment” my twin sons gave me when I was honored with an engraved brick (aka Pamela J Johnson) on the Plaza of Heroines in front of the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics on the campus of Iowa State University.

With it came letters from my adult twin sons explaining why they felt I deserved this honor. Please indulge then, my "mom moment while I share in brief what they said...

 “We wouldn’t be the people we are today without your influence. While “thank you “barely touches on my gratitude, it’s one way to say I love you.” Add to that- “You’re a mother, a cheerleader, a counselor, a mentor, a guide, an author, a banker, and an inspiration, just to name a few of your roles."

Heck yeah, I cried. Still do, every time my joy overflows, the waterworks start. And they all giggle, but with the knowledge that it's my love and gratitude for them that makes it happen.

ANGI

My mom loves to travel as much as I do. Back in the 90s, she and her friends would take a week in the spring and take a gazillion pictures of wildflowers (especially bluebonnets). I didn't totally get it. Thinking back it's probably because my life was filled with three kids and everything they needed to do. I would have loved to go to a beach and just sit (still do--favorite destination). Now, I look forward to my drives with Tim or friends to check out bluebonnet season. You've seen the pictures on my #ThroughMyLens posts. I definitely learned my passion for wildflowers from my mom. It's a soothing past time to hunt for the perfect picture. It's also a time of renewing my soul. I'll never be able to look at bluebonnets without thinking of my mom.

It's been a while since my mom stole a week or two to paint in the hill country. But there are plenty of paintings from that time. One is hanging on my entry wall. My mom is 81 now (she's the one in the middle) and it's my privilege to take her to see wildflowers every spring. I love the gaps of pure joy when we top a hill and it's covered with colorful sprigs. Even after all these years, she and her friends (and me) are still in awe of God's handiwork.

LIZBETH

Mother's Day has always been special to me. I know many people look at it as a made-up holiday for greeting card companies, but I delight every year in celebrating all the moms in my family. I'm one of the extremely lucky ones to be gettin' on in years myself but still have my mom with me. Not only is she still around at age 92, but she lives in her own townhome, is completely mentally with it (moreso than I am many days!), is still always available to chat about family, worries, politics, happy things, whatever. She has a Facebook page, is as easy to reach with a text as she is with a phone call, loves to share pictures, chat with her great-grandkids via Facetime or Messenger and, to top it off, just finished her second novel--a darling Hallmark-y romance! 

Me with Mom pre-Covid

She is still teaching all the younger moms in her family (me, and all her granddaughters and even some nieces) how to be strong, smart, active women who pass down wisdom and fun to their children. She certainly still teaches me how to be gracious, patient, understanding, and loving, although I am honestly still learning. 

My mom could be here another 10 years or leave us much sooner (I hope it's the former!) Either way, I am grateful for all she's taught us and still gives us and I'm more than happy to have a day when I can celebrate her specifically for being just the best mom!

E.E. Burke

I’ve been thinking about my mother a lot lately. Actually, I’ve been with her 24x7 for the past two weeks while she’s going through hospitalizations for serious heart problems. She’s never been really sick like this before. She was a nurse for 40 years and has lived a very full and eventful life with lots of energy for helping people, but now she needs help. 

She hates that. I would, too.

Mom feels much better when she can do something versus sit around do nothing. She’s also shaken because her natural tendency to step in and fix things isn’t much help. 

That’s all right, I tell her. I’m right there, picking up where she left off. I’m a fixer. Yes, I get that my mother. I’m also a helper, surprisingly to me. I don’t feel very much like a helper most days, but when someone needs me, I jump in with both feet. For me, it’s less about helping and more about “fixing things.”

Over the course of my life, there are things about my mom that really bugged me. I didn’t want to carry those things over in my life, but low and behold, there they are. Now I’m realizing that we take the bad with the good. Not that she’s bad or does bad things, but if you are a daughter, you know what I mean about your mom’s annoying habits. I picked up some of them. I also picked her many of her good qualities, and for that, I will always be grateful. 

I am beyond grateful for my mother. I’ve been a mother for 34 years, and this past year, I had the pleasure of seeing my eldest daughter become a mother. She’s doing an amazing job. If I had anything to do with it, it’s only because I was taught well about what it means to mother. 

BTW, Nana is utterly charmed and devoted to her little buddy, Henry. 

Happy Mother’s Day, mom. I love you so much and I cherish every single precious moment we can spend together.

JACQUI

My mom loved her garden. My childhood is full of memories of her spending every day (when the ground wasn't covered in snow) in her garden and also teaching me a fair bit about gardening. If only I could remember it all! 

This picture was taken the day before her birthday when she turned 85. 

Even in my mom's 80s when I asked her, "How long did you work in your garden today?" She replied, "Not very long - just 4 hours." And that was no joke.

But my mom also loved to joke around and was always up for shenanigans, big and small. Since I couldn't find a picture of my mom and me in a garden together, I decided to share this one from 2012 when we were playing around modeling our bathrobes. It was a simple thing, but it was great fun. 

I miss my mom every day, but I cherish the good times we shared and I feel her presence in every flower. I love you, Mom, and I think of you every day ❤️