a newfound perspective for mother's day

Memories of last year's Mother's Day make me smile each time I think back to that special weekend in May. My dad's birthday always falls close to Mother's Day, so we celebrate the two events together most years. Last year, I told my parents I was giving them a joint gift, and I get immediately sappy as I recall the looks on their faces when they discovered the contents in their giftbox: a poster reading "Got Plans NYE?" and underneath a newborn onesie. Dad questioned what NYE stood for, convinced it had to do something with New York, while mom discovered the onesie and let out a squeal of joy. (Dad eventually put two and two together and realized that New Year's Eve was my due date.)

Fast forward one year, and now that I'm about to celebrate my first Mother's Day, I've begun to realize the great responsibility of motherhood and am counting my lucky stars that I've had such a great role model over the years.

Mom, you've taught me to think before I speak, and hold my tongue if my words could injure others. You've taught me that I can reach any goal I set for myself, no matter how lofty. You've been my No. 1 fan, even when I'm struggling from the sidelines. You've shown me that caring for others develops as a natural habit and comes straight from the heart. You've reminded me that no one is perfect, and that I have to learn to forgive others. You've been my sounding board during difficulties, never convicing me to make certain decisions, but giving me solid, objective advice so that I can make my own choices. You've postponed your priorities to offer me safe harbor and comfort with no questions asked. You've taught me the value of hard work.

As a mother, you are the epitome of Corinthians 13.

On a lighter note, I'm now starting to understand what I once thought were motherly quirks:

• Watering down our cherry Koolaid because you thought it was too sweet
• Making us run laps at the rest stop on the way to the beach
• Banning the phrase "shut up"
• Convincing us that fruit is the ultimate dessert
• Limiting us to 30 minutes of TV per day in the summer
• Giving us an earlier curfew than most kids
• Never stocking sodas in the pantry
• Forcing us to play outside
• Leaving us lists of chores to do in the summer
• Insisting that we apologize to each other with "I'm sorry" instead of just "sorry"
• Packing homemade lunches when traveling instead of stopping for fast food
• Making us help with yard work, especially pulling up weeds

You'll never know just how much you mean to me--and I know I'll never be able to adequately express it. Just know that if I end up being exactly like you as a mother, I'll consider myself fortunate.

Happy Mother's Day!

moms rule the world

On Friday, I sent my mom an article about Children's Healthcare of Atlanta's Childhood Obesity campaign and a link to a video in which an executice appeared on the Today Show. My mom emailed me back with a few practical suggestions, and these are some of the reasons she was the best mom in the world growing up:

• It is ok to lock your children out of the house in order to make them play outside, (and for a little peace and quiet--so long as you can still see them).
• The best way to “punish” or discipline sometimes is to take away all TV, video and computer access…then they will have to actually play.
• Encourage them by running foot races – just make sure you don’t trip and fall and scrape your knees and elbows and scare them half to death…if you do fall and hurt yourself, be sure not to cry.
• For spring holidays, take every bat and ball and riding toy you can find, put it in a mini-van, call all your friends and take all the kids to the local school playground and let them run and play till their heart’s content.
• When the neighbors get new appliances, put the large cardboard boxes in your front yard and your children will love playing with them. You can have a nice looking yard later.
• Be sure to have a cool Grandma who will do cool things with them and who never turns on the TV to entertain them.
• Encourage Dad to play ball with them in the backyard, even when it puts him at risk of losing a knee-cap.
• Go to mountain cabins a couple of times a year where there is no TV, and take a truck load of bikes, just be sure not to bring back any that don’t belong to you.
• Buy a used Sea Doo and/or boat, and put it in the cool Grandma’s boat dock so your children will play in and on the water.
• Hike to the top of a small mountain with your child when they are home from college, even if you get poured on, just to make it to the top.
• When traveling with younger children, make them run up and down the sidewalks at the rest stops, along with the dogs.
• Serve some kind of fruit with every meal...if they don’t eat the main dish they can live on fruit and rolls till morning.
• If you do all of the above for 20 years, then they will find out they hate to sit and watch TV, at least when the sun is out, they will not waste time going to and sitting at movies in the daytime…and they will be very very active adults!

Happy Mother's Day, Mom, and to all the other mothers out there!