Who looks bad now ....

Get this ... my brother and dad went in together and sent my mom flowers for Mother's Day. No one asked me if I wanted to get in on that gift! Now I look like the bad child that only sent a card, and she won't get it until Monday either!!!

My dad told me today I could send him money and he would tell her that he forgot that it was from me too! I said no thanks!!!

Those dogs ....

Blah to me on Mother's Day

First let me say a HUGE Happy Mother's Day to my wonderful mom, Nancy my mother-in-law, my Grandma in San Diego, and my Mimi in Texas! I love you all!

Second I want to tell you how I got a HUGE slap in the face today from God. Ha ha! You know the moments where you feel as if God just says to you, are you kidding me? This morning was fine as I got the kids ready for church by myself and we arrived just in time for me to teach my kindergarten and first grade kids in Sunday School. As they were all making mother's day cards for their mommy's I started feeling sad that I didn't get cards from my boys today. Neither one of them wished me a Happy Mother's Day, or made me breakfast in bed and that is probably because they are 3 and 1, but still I was feeling sorry for myself. (I did get cards from school though on Thursday!)

Then after church everyone was headed out to restaurants to shower their moms with praise and a day off from cooking. Me, well I was headed home by myself to make hot dogs and left overs for my sweet boys and myself. As I drove home I felt cheated on Mother's Day. I felt as though I wasn't being praised and I wasn't important.

After I put the kids down for a nap I headed out to mow the lawn. Now mowing the lawn didn't upset me, because actually I enjoy mowing the lawn. I get free sun, a slight workout, and time alone to think! Well, thinking I did.

As I was having my pity party to God about being alone on Mother's Day and not having anyone to take me out it was as if he started whispering little things in my ears. The first was thoughts of Naomi and Ruth from the bible. This was our lesson today in church and I remembered how Naomi lost not only her husband but also her two sons. I bet she had a few lonely Mother's Day's to celebrate alone. She endured and persevered and God blessed her. Shame on me for feeling sad when I have the best hubby in the world, who is constantly praising me as a mom, and lavishing me with gifts and his time, and I have two fantastic healthy boys that love me more and more every day.

Then I remembered my friend Allison posting about her friends in a car accident this weekend. Not only is this mom in the hospital in bad shape but she is dealing with the fact that her son is hours away in another hospital not responding and probably not going to make it.

Then I think of all the women who LONG for a child and for some reason or another can not have one. Their hearts are broken and longing for a life to grow inside of them.

Then I think of all the moms that have lost children. I can not even imagine this tragedy happening to a mom. I pray that these women are comforted in the fact that God is good and just the same way as he provided and protected Naomi he will do the same thing for them.

I also think of birth mothers who have placed their children with new families. I am sure they think of these children often and have a special place for them in their hearts forever.

So, my lawn mowing today was very enlightening to me. God was gracious to gently whisper in my ear that my moaning, groaning and complaining was not necessary. Although I didn't get showered with praises today by anyone, I know that my hubby and children adore me and I am thankful for all that I have in this life.

(As a side note, Aaron did shower me with gifts before he went out of town, so don't think he forgot!!!!)

encouragement

I just read an amazing blog over at the LIVING PROOF blog. To think that Beth Moore at one point was praying some of the same things that I pray as a mom of toddlers was such an encouragement. I mean if Beth Moore can become the woman she has become and she too had the same struggles and fears that I have now maybe there is hope for me! Ha Ha! She also said that she worked at Mother's Day Out when her girls were little and so do I! I was also cracking up at her comment about her hand bell playing days. Who didn't do hand bells if you grew up in a Baptist church???!!!!

But on a serious note. She talked in her post about moms needing moms. Isn't that the truth these days? Sometimes it is hard to find the time to get together for play dates, but we need them so badly. When I actually do get together with other moms and we let our kids play I always feel such a bond with them. Even if we don't have a lot in common we always get along great b/c we do have the common bond of "motherhood" and that goes a long way!

I am going to try to host a play date soon. I think our new patio will be great for moms to sit on and kids to play in the yard. :) You bloggers need to keep me accountable, b/c I'll back out!

my mom.

Hey guys. Stephanie over at Adventures in Babywearing has us all talking about our mom's and posting a pic of them. Here is my mom:


This is a great pic of her and my dad because it was at little boy's first birthday party. My mom has not missed one birthday of the kids so far and she lives about 15 hours away! Last year for Big Boy's birthday it was just her, the kids and I. I was a zombie last year because I had a son just turning two and Little Boy was about 8 weeks old. Thank goodness Nana showed up to my rescue because I was pooped to the max. We would sit to talk on the couch and I would just fall asleep. That was a great time for Nana to be here.

My mom is wonderful. As I have gotten older I have begun to appreciate my mom so much more than I ever did. As a teenager you think that you know it all and that your parents are stupid and are out to "get you"! You also don't realize how much your parents love you until you actually have kids. Sometimes Aaron and I will be talking about our kids and how much we love them and we'll think, wow our parents love us like this too. It is a great feeling.

One random memory of my mom is from when I was younger and we lived about 30 miles outside of town. We lived in the country and had to drive into town for school and work each day. I must have been learning to read because my mom would have me read to her the whole way home. It might not have been the whole way home, but that is how I remember it! I would read out loud from the backseat and I was always amazed at how she would always know when I had missed a word or said the wrong word. I thought she could see my book from the front seat! I think I read enough books that I earned myself a Cabbage Patch Doll!

When I was in high school I was on leadership with Fellowship of Christian Athletes at our school. My mom did so much for that group. She put together folders, and would recruit speakers for the meetings as well. She was kind of a mentor to us and helped with all the organizational stuff. My mom is great at organizational stuff!

My mom is the queen of volunteering for stuff. Right now she currently volunteers at her local soup kitchen two nights a week and now at the food distribution center for the boxed foods I mentioned in a previous post. She is the first to volunteer to bring someone food or pick up someone for a ride. I admire that about her and hopefully some day when my little ones are not right under my feet I'll be volunteering more as well!

My mom is a food freak. I mean that in the nicest way possible! She only eats VERY healthy foods and it has some what rubbed off on me. NOT all the way because I still love my Diet Coke, Cheese Sticks from Sonic, lasagna, ice cream and cake. BUT she has helped us switch to soy milk, wheat pasta, and all natural peanut butter. Ha we're on our way to health nut freakiness! Ha Ha!

My mom has taught me tons about life. One major thing is forgiveness. My mom has showed me how to forgive as Jesus forgives us, not to hold anything against anyone and keep on with life. That makes me so happy and proud to be her daughter.

SO MOM if you are reading this - I LOVE YOU and THANK YOU for a great example of loving people and loving Jesus!