Mothers Day

I have a love hate relationship with Mother's Day. For me, I have a hard time thinking that this particular holiday is for me. I have spent a lifetime honoring my own mother, and grandmothers, and a mother-in-law. I forget that maybe my kids or husband would like to do something nice for me as well. I get so worked up about what I am going to do for my Mom each year, and what gift I am going to get my own mother -in-law, that I forget that this day is about me too.

This year we were really busy on Mother's Day, Greg had church meetings starting at 8:15. It was mighty christian of my Bishop to postpone PEC until then, because it usually starts at 7:45. He wanted to make sure that the men were available to help their wives.
All that really did was delay the chaos for 15 minutes, while I am trying to read the kids Mother's Day cards, eat my pancakes, while I was getting everybody ready for 9:00 church.

My kids cards were so sweet. I could tell that they put there heart and soul into each little picture drawn. They both expressed how much happier I am when the house is clean. Kameron had drawn a sparkly clean toilet on his card and said that his mom is happy when he cleans the bathroom and does his chores, then it proceeded to state that my favorite thing to do was to sleep. Then he continued to draw me lying in bed with z's coming from my mouth.

Hallee's card said that when she picks up her clothes at night is when I am happiest, but at least I got a nod for being a great cook in her card.

I LOVE my kids and I LOVE being a mom, but my kids cards hinted around that I am more like a slave driver then a Mom. I snuggled with them all day, and hugged and kissed them, then right before we took Greg to the shuttle for the airport, (he had to fly to Texas on Mother's Day!!! Bummer.) I asked him if this is what he and the kids really thought of me. He looked at me, and he gave me the look like " Do I say something or lie, I can't lie to her because she knows when I do."
His silence and hesitation answered a lot of questions for me, and then I started to cry. He scooped me up in my tears and assured me that he and the kids do not think of me as a slave driver, they just recognize that I like a happy orderly home. Then he asked the kids if there is anything else that they could think of that made their mom happy. Then all the answers came that you usually find on mothers day cards, things like, picnics, family time, hiking with each other, snuggle time before bed and mom's hugs before we go to school each day. Then I teared up because they do appreciate all those things that I do do for them.

So after a lot of thinking and pondering on how I can make my family a happier family, I have realized that I still have a responsibility to teach my kids how to cook, clean and have manners, but sometimes the laundry and the dishes can wait.