Reminiscing Mom

So since I will have no time at all this weekend, with the babies turning two, running around and getting an ice cream cake, and making sure we get all of the flowers delivered and somehow still managing to get me some new eye wear, and stay sane, I am going to reminisce about all of the good things I enjoy about my mother or mother's day in general. This will be my ode to motherhood.

My mother and I did not get along when I was in high-school. I think that she thought that I was really messed up because I was an introvert, and my choice of friends was none so pleasant. The worst part about it to me was that I never did anything to make her think I was doing anything bad. In fact there were many times that I was invited to underage parties, and illegal social functions and I passed saying that it was not my scene. Also, I silently knew she would never let me go, and I was no good at sneaking anywhere, let alone out. The best part of our disagreement came when she took me to see a therapist. I think this was where she realized that I was a really good kid. I talked to the therapist just like she wanted me to, and the therapist talked to her saying "I don't know what you want me to say. It looks like she is on a good track and has a good head on her shoulders" I think this made my mom feel horrible for doubting me because when we got in the car she asked me "Why did you come if there was really nothing wrong?" I told her that I knew she needed to know I was ok, and she pulled the car over to cry. I realized then that she had had me on a leash because she suspected I was doing something wrong and was scared. Things turned around after that, and I think she got the recognition for being a good mother that she needed when I started being nominated for awards in school. People in the community would congratulate her for being such a good mother and she constantly deflected saying it was because I was a good kid, but I think she knew deep down that she had nothing to worry about because she was such a good mom, I had the best role model.

She was also a great cook. However that trait did not hit me till college. She tried to teach me a couple times, but I never got the tricks. One trick in particular was that you have to READ the cookbook. We were making chicken and dumplings once, and I was reading the cookbook. When we got to the part where it asked how much parsley in the dumplings I told her the measure. She poured it in and the meal finished with a much greener dumpling than I was used to. Little did I know there was a measure for dry and fresh parsley and I had given her the measure for fresh by mistake. I ruined the meal, but she still let me lick the brownie beaters!

One year we celebrated mother's day by giving my mom homemade dolls. Bad idea because we used stuff that was laying around the house. They were fat little lumped of stuffed material, and the worst eyesore ever, but my mother was awesome, and took it in stride. She kept them for years, and I think If I looked I would find them all.

My mother tends to have animated reactions to surprises. None surprised me more than her reaction to Nick asking to marry me. It is the one thing that my parents found most respectful of him, as my sister's fiance never asked, and they felt it was a rite of passage that he evaded. The story goes that my mother and father were dozing on the couch and Nick was watching TV with them. They woke up after the end of a movie, and he took his opportunity to ask. My mother stunned and awed, launched herself a good 4 feet over a coffee table and into his arms for a bear hug. Only my mother could react in this way. She was so happy he was going to be a part of the family, although she had predicted it months earlier.

I think the thing I like most about my mother is that her role in my life has evolved. She will always be my mother and the place that I call home will be where she is, but she has stopped being my protector, and enlisted that job to someone else; and she has since stopped trying to make me go a certain way. I think she always knew I would follow in her footsteps, and I am kind of proud to say that I have.

Without her my life would be totally different. I probably would never have read a single book as a kid because nintendo had started coming out with so many game systems and almost all of my friends had them. I probably never would have helped raise a kid at the age of 10, therefore solidifying my awesome ability to take care of kids. The little things in my life that I took for granted are now cherished and I am somewhat sad this year because it is the first Mother's Day ever that I have not been home with my mother. I know what I would be doing if I were there this weekend, sitting by the pond drinking tea and enjoying a nice conversation about how great her flowers have turned out. Instead, I will be stressed out about how much work goes into preparing a kids birthday party, and making sure my ice cream cake doesn't melt.

I hope that everyone who stumbles into this has a great weekend and a Happy Mother's Day!