To all the wonderful mothers out there. I received this from Lynn and wanted to share. No one's name is with this piece so I'm sorry I can't give anyone credit.

Please read all the way to the end...

This is for the mothers who have sat up all night with sick toddlers in their arms, wiping up barf laced with Oscar Mayer wieners and cherry Kool-Aid saying, "It's okay honey,
Mommy's here."

Who have sat in rocking chairs for hours on end soothing crying babies who
can't be comforted.

This is for all the mothers who show up at work with spit-up in their hair
and milk stains on their blouses and diapers in their purse.

For all the mothers who run carpools and make cookies and sew Halloween
costumes. And all the mothers who DON'T.

This is for the mothers who gave birth to babies they'll never see. And the
mothers who took those babies and gave them homes.

This is for the mothers whose priceless art collections are hanging on their
refrigerator doors.

And for all the mothers who froze their buns on metal bleachers at football
or soccer games instead of watching from the warmth of their cars..

And that when their kids asked, "Did you see me, Mom?" they could say, "Of
course, I wouldn't have missed it for the world," and mean it.

This is for all the mothers who yell at their kids in the grocery store and
swat them in despair when they stomp their feet and scream for ice cream
before dinner. And for all the mothers who count to ten instead, but realize
how child abuse happens.

This is for all the mothers who sat down with their children and explained
all about making babies. And for all the (grand)mothers who wanted to, but
just couldn't find the words.

This is for all the mothers who go hungry, so their children can eat.

For all the mothers who read "Goodnight, Moon" twice a night for a year.
And then read it again. "Just one more time."

This is for all the mothers who taught their children to tie their shoelaces
before they started school. And for all the mothers who opted for Velcro
instead.

This is for all the mothers who teach their sons to cook and their daughters
to sink a jump shot.

This is for every mother whose head turns automatically when a little voice
calls "Mom?" in a crowd, even though they know their own offspring are at
home -- or even away at college.

This is for all the mothers who sent their kids to school with stomach
aches, assuring them they'd be just FINE once they got there, only to get
calls from the school nurse an hour later asking them to please pick them
up. Right away.

This is for mothers whose children have gone astray, who can't find the
words to reach them.

For all the mothers who bite their lips until they bleed when their 14 year
olds dye their hair green.

For all the mothers of the victims of recent school shootings, and the
mothers of those who did the shooting.

For the mothers of the survivors, and the mothers who sat in front of their
TVs in horror, hugging their child who just came home from school, safely

This is for all the mothers who taught their children to be peaceful, and
now pray they come home safely from a war.

What makes a good Mother anyway? Is it patience? Compassion? Broad hips?

The ability to nurse a baby, cook dinner, and sew a button on a shirt, all
at the same time?

Or is it in her heart?

s it the ache you feel when you watch your son or daughter disappear down
the street, walking to school alone for the very first time?

The jolt that takes you from sleep to dread, from bed to crib at 2 A.M. to
put your hand on the back of a sleeping baby?

The panic, years later, that comes again at 2 A.M. when you just want to
hear their key in the door and know they are safe again in your home?

Or the need to flee from wherever you are and hug your child when you hear
news of a fire, a car accident, a child dying?

The emotions of motherhood are universal and so our thoughts are for young
mothers stumbling through diaper changes and sleep deprivation... And
mature mothers learning to let go.

For working mothers and stay-at-home mothers.

Single mothers and married mothers.

Mothers with money, mothers without.

This is for you all For all of us...

Hang in there In the end we can only do the best we can. Tell them every day
that we love them. And pray.
The End

I know Mother's Day can be bitter-sweet for some. For those among us who have children who are out in this world and we don't know where, and for mothers who have children who have already gone home to be with our Lord...I pray especially for you today. Please know God comforts those who mourn any loss.

May everone look for a little grace in this day. I know you'll find it!

Happy Mother's day friends.
Milk it for all it's worth.

Dotsie -- Thank you for your thoughts

as you know I wrote this on Belle's 1st birthday -- I'd like to share today -- as it seems fitting

on august 27, 2001
my heart broke when i lost a son
than an amazing thing started happening to me
it all began April 10, 2003

this tiny little soul was born
oh i was proud as can be
but there was still a big void
were my heart used to be

i wanted to love her
and feel my heart beat
i was happy and proud
when we strolled her down the street

but i guess i was afraid
to let myself feel
love for this child
then i started to heal

she held on to my finger
looked at me and smiled
i felt a strange "tweak"
where it had been still for awhile

then one night a beat started
one, two, and then three
as my sweet belle lay sleeping
curled in my arms, close to me

i felt a strange warmth
overcoming my fears
i thought i'd explode
and i broke down in tears

for i realized that life had gone on
as it should be
and i had grown a new heart
now beating stronger in me

today my grandbeauty turns one
she's playing with her daddy
my travis, my son
and as my heart fills more and more
my life is content
April 10, 2004

Happy Mothers Day everyone

Carolyn,
Thank you for opening up your life and sharing that beautiful poem. You've just made my Mother's Day even more special!

JJ

Beautiful tributes from all of you, I didn't want to start a new thread, but this is my contribution. It was printed in my local paper last Tuesday. The son I am writing about is my son that is in the Navy. Here is my contribution.

My Most Memorable Mother’s Day

The day was beautiful, sunny and warm. It was exciting! I was preparing for a date! With my son. He said he had plans for us on that Sunday afternoon and he told me what time to be ready. It was Mothers Day, and he was our only child in the area.

I didn’t know what he had planned but was eagerly looking forward to what he was offering. Most of all an afternoon in his company, just he and I. He had been living at home and then moved into his own apartment and I missed his company.

He finally came, a little late, but that is normal for him. I was pacing the floors and watching for his truck to come around the corner. The only time he had been on time in his entire life was when he was born exactly on his due date!

He came in the door with a corsage in his hand, which he lovingly attached to my shirt.
He had dressed up and he looked great, and my Mother’s heart burst with pride. I knew that he would be a good catch for some lucky young woman. He just hadn’t had any luck finding the right one.

Out the door, we went, and he said, “I am taking you to a place that I know you pass by every single day, yet you have never visited it.” I was intrigued, but trusting his judgment as he had inherited a love of the same things that I love.

He was right, straight down Main Street to the Anna B. Millikin home. We took a delightful tour through the mansion of the founders of Millikin University. We were the only ones there so we had a one-on-one guide to tell us all about that beautiful home. We could oooh and ahhh and asked questions she patiently answered us. He was right, it was the first time that I had been there and I have lived-in Decatur all of my life and lived on the west end for 10 years.

As we were leaving, she mentioned the Powers-Bachrach mansion was also open for tours today, so off we went. It is another beautiful home rich in Decatur history. We toured through that home admiring the beauty and the luxury and the wonderful job of preservation the Bachrach family has performed.

Then to top it off, he took me for a tour of Greenwood Cemetery. Now I know that does not sound exciting to you, but this is the child who with his Mother longed to see Arlington cemetery while visiting Washington D.C. It was the highlight of our trip! We love to read the inscriptions and imagine the stories behind them. He also inherited my writing genes so it is easy for us to start a story and the other one finish it. Sometimes they produced outlandish results!

He had taken the haunted Decatur tours and as we went around and looked at the old mausoleums and the gravestones, we marveled at the rich history of Decatur.

It was a wonderful rewarding day with my youngest son. One that I will never forget. I watched my son walk out the door and I was thankful for the man that he had grown to be. I am proud of both my sons, and all of my children. We have no steps in our family. We have five children, nine grandchildren, two more on the way. Mother’s day is a special day for me.

Sherri,
I loved this story. What a thoughtful young man. I too like visiting cemetries and seeing the who's who of years gone by, to make up stories of their origin and deaths, and to be completely alone with my thoughts. If that's strange, then count me in!

The tours you enjoyed sound wonderful as well. I think that was a grand Mother's day. I say good for you both!

JJ

Sheri, what a wonderful son. And what a wonderful day and wonderfully written.

My weekend has been filled with family. Went to my husband's grandson's first birthday. What a wonderful little fellow. He crawled up in my lap without even a bottle and went to sleep. I rocked him for almost an hour until he woke up and smiled at me. Took my 3rd grade grandson to play with the older brother. They fed the horses and caught two frogs, swam in the pond, jumped on the trampoline and had a blast.

Celebrated an early Mother's day with my Mom who lives 150 miles away with flowers and food. Last night my daughter brought my corsage and food. Today we surprised my MIL with a corsage and accompanied her to church. My daughter came back to visit in the afternoon and my other daughter sent flowers and called.

Nice weekend. I hope it was wonderful for all.
smile