Mom's Day

Contrary to popular belief, Mother's Day was not conceived and fine-tuned in the boardroom of Hallmark. The earliest tributes to mothers date back to the annual spring festival the Greeks dedicated to Rhea, the mother of many deities, and to the offerings ancient Romans made to their Great Mother of Gods, Cybele. Christians celebrated this festival on the fourth Sunday in Lent in honor of Mary, mother of Christ. In England this holiday was expanded to include all mothers and was called Mothering Sunday.

In the United States, Mother's Day started nearly 150 years ago, when Anna Jarvis, an Appalachian homemaker, organized a day to raise awareness of poor health conditions in her community, a cause she believed would be best advocated by mothers. She called it "Mother's Work Day."
Mother's Day today consists of young children making mom breakfast in bed or making homemade cards with crayon scribblings all over them saying, "I Love You".  Older "kids" will take mom out to eat or send a card and possibly flowers.  I often fall short of making as big of a deal of Mother's Day as I should.  This year, again, is no exception.  I will make a call and talk to my mother(s) and let them know I care about them.  That I am thinking about them.

Obviously, I have a birth mother and I also have a step-mother.  I refer to both of them as "Mom".  And on Mother's Day, I usually take a few minutes to be thankful for both.  I am thankful to my "natural" mother for letting me move in with my father when I asked her.  I know that it must have been a tough decision, but I know deep in her heart that she knew that it would be best for me.  And we are becoming closer and closer as time passes and efforts are made to connect with each other.

I am also very thankful for what most people would call my "step" mother.  I consider my "step" mother simply as my mother.  She took me in when she and my father blended  families and she raised my as her own.  I never felt for one second like I was second best to her.  Growing up, Shirl always made me feel as though I was loved just as much as any of my other siblings.  I also know that this must have been difficult and I will always be thankful and grateful for the childhood that she provided for me.

As I have gotten older and have older children of my own, I understand how much work and love that it takes to raise a family.  The example of your strength, devotion, and patience, and love will never be forgotten.  Neither will the memories that you created for me. 

"Thank you" is not adequate enough to describe my gratefulness, thankfulness, and my love for you.  Mere words always fall short when I try to say how much you mean to me.  But thank you for all your hard work, dedication, patience, time, care, and love that you poured in to me and all my siblings.

Happy Mother's Day! I love you Mom.