Mother’s Day

Every year, in May, we celebrate the joy of Motherhood. Some do this by recognizing all mothers everywhere. Some celebrate just their mom. But me, it is all generations of moms from my lineage and all those in my life currently. Most of all, I celebrate and thank my mom for the life she gave me. Times in my life, I found it hard to understand why I should celebrate anyone other than the original, my mom. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to realize how special and how impacting my daughters and my wife are on my life and the family. Of course, us dads have our day, and it is easier for me to be a little more single-minded on my dad. But our mom has a job that a dad could never really understand. For most, dads go to work and come home, oblivious to the full day of care given to our kids. Moms pull their hair out, cry, have anxiety over everyone having everything they need. My mom didn’t work until my sister, and I were in high school. I don’t ever remember a sad day in my life as a kid and I’m sure my mom had a significant hand in making that possible. Today’s mom also works, but still assumes all the responsibilities as if she didn’t. There are the new age dads that try to be as involved as possible, but I guarantee that as much as they would like to believe they serve in 50-50 role, they don’t. So, on Mother’s Day, it is so important to shower our moms with all the thankfulness they deserve, and we have been doing so since 1908 in the US. Dad’s have their day in June, I was actually surprised that it started in 1910, because I really don’t remember celebrating dads’ day until I was an adult. Still, Father’s Day is more a barbeque cookout and celebration of not having to go to work that day and getting to watch sports on the family TV without guilt.

Today though, I’m so happy I have three daughters that are great moms and they all learned from great mentors. Cortney had the great opportunity to have two moms that have shown her the way to being a great mom. We have had the opportunity to observe all three over the last almost seven years. Cort and Erica have managed to complete graduate degrees and Kate has taken a little time off to focus on raising Winnie. But she will start back to school soon and experience the amazing juggle of motherhood and school/career. Happy Mother’s Day to all three of them. They are certainly doing what I would not have been able to do. There were a few years I tried to be both, but I’m sure I was lacking in several areas.

I appreciate my first wife for giving me three great kids and spending most of her time ensuring they never wanted anything. As much as I appreciate her efforts, I’m still even more amazed the effort Jen had to go through as a single mother and served as an example that a mother can raise kids on their own and still be the head of the house. Of course, it is an illusion for dads to feel that and is really a gift from moms. Dads try here and there, I was one, but having Jen come into my life, took a load of me at a time my career was advancing. Cortney might have already been a teenager by then, but the influence was obvious, and I believe Cortney learned to be a more guided person in how to be a young woman with Jen in the picture. There are no words that can really express my gratitude for this. She certainly didn’t have too, but for her, there really was no other choice. To Erica and Kate, thanks for allowing your mom to do this, it wasn’t easy for you, and I recognize that.

My own mom was such an influence on me. I’m sure some might think I took on some of the traits that were a little more difficult to accept in her. But she was a strong and confident woman and even though it always came across as her first impression, she was a sucker for kids and grandkids and would have done anything for them, even at times to the financial detriment to her and my dad. I lost her a few years ago but having lived several states away for over thirty years, I was most thankful to have spent the last eight months of life with her after our move to Texas. She sneaks into my thoughts daily and many times triggered off the silliest of things like making a PPJ with jelly on the left and peanut butter on the right. The jelly slice always folded over on top of the peanut butter. I still can’t make one without doing this. In my mom’s case, Mother’s Day is seemingly every day now, as I celebrate her each and every day in thought. Another gift she gave, allowing me to focus on Jen and the girls on this day. Thanks Mom!