Happy Mother's Day!

I had a wonderful day! I had a wonderful weekend! I really love my kids/teens! I got a bit sentimental--I took out the cute homemade presents they made me for Mother's Day through the years. The sweet little handprints, the cute misspelled cards--I just melted as I looked through them! I have truly enjoyed being a mother--it has been a WONDERFUL experience! I know that my role as "mother" will last forever, but the actual day-to-day life as a mother changes drastically through the years. I looked at photos of me with my son on my very first Mother's Day--what a special day that was! I saw photos of my two toddlers--how sweet they were, and how busy I was back then! I saw my two preschoolers--my days were full of adventure and learning opportunities then. I saw my school-aged kids--the cute presents from school and the busy "PTA Mom" life was great. And then, as they hit puberty and adolescence, they still found ways to show their love for me--no more handprints or homemade cards, but they did make some videos and slideshow presentations for me on the computer. This year, they each purchased a card for me, they gave me hugs and wished me a "Happy Mother's Day," and they took me out to dinner at Applebee's. I felt very loved! :) As they reach adulthood and leave home for lives of their own, I hope to maybe get a phone call, a card in the mail, or at least a heartfelt email on Mother's Day. I compiled a video slideshow for my own mother and sent it to her--she loved it! I hope they continue to stay in close contact with me when they are grown, but I want them to live their own very independent lives as well. I have loved being a mother, and I will always love being a mother--but the meaning of this changes through the years. Sometimes I miss those early years, but I balance that with the great times happening right now and the thoughts of good times to be had in the future. Happy Mother's Day! :)