Mothers Day.

One would think that if you have NINE....count 'em.....NINE children....that you would LOVE Mothers Day!

You would think that every advertisement leading up to THE day....would certainly put you in the mood to look forward to the day....
It leads to your children....well, some of them, thinking.....oh, it's that time again.....what do we get her...well, we certainly can't afford that....maybe a nice card....oh shoot, forgot to get the card,...oh well, I'm saving the environment, don't ya know....a phone call....that's the ticket....I'll just call....what do you mean, why didn't you call my mother....what...yes, I know it's my mother, but I forgot...I was hoping that you'd remember...what time is it....11:55pm....do you still think she's up...I have five minutes.....and on it goes....

Laying stress and guilt on the assorted Wettlaufers...well, on some of them anyways....some of them....couldn't care less and you'll never hear from them unless they've had an accident and want you to come and perform last rites or something...or final forgiveness for all the nasty stuff they've done to you over the years.....

As for the mom.....well, the mom is filled with dread all week long, even weeks before when she's reminded through all the confounded commercials telling people to show their love....after all...it's Mother's Day!
Why, why is she filled with dread.....because...from the time she wakes up in the morning til the time she goes to bed on that Sunday....she waits and waits for those four words.....

Happy Mothers Day , mom!

......and when she doesn't hear from all of her children,....she wonders why....why couldn't they be bothered....she gets depressed, she gets down in the dumps.....she goes to bed sad.

I went to a funeral of an elderly lady a few months ago....like me she had nine kids. At her funeral, one of her grown kids.....very grown since this woman was a great grandma.....said...'well, mom....you got your wish...you always said that you'd love for us all to come to church someday.....well, here we are'!
There was uncomfortable giggling but I thought it was kind of sad....mom had asked for one Sunday...that's all...she wasn't looking for extravagant gifts or cards...just one Sunday...that's all. Well, I guess they all finally came, but mom wasn't there to see it, not to have the pleasure of having all her kids around her.
Kids don't realize just how much joy that it would have given their mom.....

You see, I really can't speak for all moms...but I'm pretty sure that most moms are just looking for affirmation.....
Affirmation that even though she made mistakes along the way, after all, she was human.....that her kids were affirming that they knew she tried her best, that she didn't give up, that she tried to be the best mom that she could be....and that they appreciated her.

.....and on Mother's Day .....that affirmation comes in those four words.

That's it...that's it in a nutshell.




~ Marie