Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all of the moms out there! It doesn't matter if your children are two-legged or four-legged, you're still a mother and should celebrate today!

I want to wish a special Happy Mother's Day to the best mom I know. Fortunately, that just happens to be my mom! She is a practical, no-nonsense, kind of mom, and we always knew that there was a line you would never cross, and if you happened to get too close to that line, there would be consequences. We had what many would think was an impossibly restricted childhood. Yes, it is true. Want some examples of this "cruelty"?

• We were taught to say "please", "thank you", and "excuse me".
  
• We wore our Sunday Best on Sunday, even though my Sunday Best was more likely than not hand-me-downs from my sister's Sunday Best.
• We were grateful for new clothes and new shoes.
• We did chores around the house.
• We were given an allowance (75 cents a week), and taught how to manage money. (Sadly, that lesson didn't really sink in with me...)
• We worked for extra spending money. I started babysitting when I was 11 years old which greatly contributed to my decision, made at a very young age, that I never, ever, ever wanted to have kids. Ever.

As you can see, I survived a shockingly severe childhood. I am thankful for the upbringing I had, and for the fact that I have always felt my mother's love. Too many kids today do not have that kind of strict-but-loving mom, and I believe our communities, and indeed our country, is the worse for it.

As I was looking for pictures of mom to post today, I realized that a large percentage of the picture of mom are when she is holding a baby. I don't know if it's because she is always the one taking pictures of everyone else, or if it's because she manages to snatch any baby in her vicinity and snuggling a baby is just about the only time that she sits still. Probably a combination of the two. Anyway, here are a few of my favorite pictures of the best mom in the world.

Mom holding Colette, 2005

Mom holding Sophia, 2009

Mom holding Mellie, 1997

Mom holding Lexie, Emma "helping", 2007

On this Mother's Day, what would I wish for? World peace? An end to hunger? No more homelessness, for people or pets? No, my wish is for everyone to have a mother like mine. That would accomplish the first three wishes, and so much more. I love you, mom.