Mother's Day

When I was little my mom always said all she wanted for Mother's Day was for the nine of us kids to just be happy and get along with each other.

Same request went for her birthday.
And for Christmas.
Insert any possible gift-giving type holiday: Valentine's Day, their anniversary, etc, etc, etc...
It was always the same old thing.
Always.

And we never believed her.

You must want SOMEthing, we insisted.
But, no.  That was her story and she was sticking to it.

We all knew just as well as she did that that wasn't gonna happen.
No use in pretending it might.

So we made pancakes.
And paper flowers.
And spent two bucks of our babysitting money to buy her a card at Rite Aid.
All very sweet, yes?

Fast forward a couple decades and four children later.

I get it.  Holy macaroni.  That seriously IS all she wanted. 

Well, that and probably for us to leave her alone for One Freaking Second.  She never did come out and actually say that, but I think I'm about one more pitcher of spilled Crystal Light away from saying it to my kids.  (Oh Bedtiiiiime, where arrrre youuuu????)

So for tomorrow, happy Mother's Day, all you moms.  Particularly the saint of a lady I'm fortunate enough to get to call Mom.  How the heck she's always done it all, I'll never know.  She's fantastic. 

To my Mom and all the moms out there:
May you get that one little wish that I now make for myself, too:
That everyone will just get along for the day.

And for the icing on the cake, maybe they will leave us alone for one blessed second.

But if not, oh well.  These are the moments, right?

I think I'm gonna miss this....  Eventually.