Hitting the Highlights: Mother's Day

Did you know that the woman who created Mother's Day was childless? And that the commercialization of Mother's Day so enraged her that she was actually arrested for trying to stop the sale of flowers on one occasion? And that when she died, her final medical bills were paid for in part by florists? (Did you learn something just now? If so, thank Armchair Reader.)

What was originally intended to be a holy day to honor mothers turned into just another Hallmark holiday, but you'll get no complaints from me. If the little people in my life want to honor me by buying me gifts, I am happy to go with the flow.

The truth of the matter, though, is that my favorite gifts every year are the ones the kids make at school (see, your mother wasn't lying when she said the best gifts are handmade). Sadie wrote that I'm special because I stay home on Tuesdays and Fridays (and I'm thrilled to finally be getting some credit for that). Ella embarrassed me by exposing my fear of lions. It's been a deeply held secret of mine for years. In truth, she claimed she A) couldn't think of something I was afraid of (cockroaches, duh!) and felt like she could skillfully draw a lion. Done and done. I love the little "all about my mom" books they make at school because they're a chance to get an inside view of what Ella actually thinks of me. Like last year when she drew me with my laptop and wrote "My mom spends most of her time working on her laptop." And like this year, when she drew me with a lion and wrote, "My mom is afraid of lions." I guess I should be grateful that she didn't write, "Sometimes my mom says she is going to pee on me." Or "My mom once offered to show me porn on the Internet." (Long, long story but be assured my intentions were pure and totally educational. Also, I absolutely did not use the word "porn," and it never actually happened anyway. I mean, the conversation did happen, but... Never mind.) It's the little things.

We spent a lovely Mother's Day that included breakfast at a restaurant, time spent in my hammock (present from Mother's Day last year) with my new hammock pillow (present for Mother's Day this year). My in-laws took the girls to church, and Dean and I shopped for some flowers for the front yard (so much more gardening to do than when we lived in our condo!). I read a book. We went for a picnic at a local nature center. We saw what may have been a ghost of a 1920s girl sitting on a bridge. This is the stuff Mother's Day dreams are made of.

I also got this sweet necklace from etsy.com. Only mine has the names Ella and Sadie on it.

And I kinda, sorta got the kids to cooperate for this photo.

And then, as if I weren't already pushing my luck on the photographic front, I got the dog to pose for this picture, in which he is doing his best imitation of a dog that has been made to hike too far and is now dying of thirst. Isn't he a handsome boy?

There are a lot of things no one tells you about becoming a mother. Some days, it feels like an awfully impossible, thankless task, and I can't believe the things that are being expected of me. Other days, my heart could burst with how lucky I am to have such lovely little creatures in my life. Then someone starts whining or spills something, and I'm back to just being glad that they'll take time out once a year to thank me for being their mom.