As the proverb goes "you will never fully understand your parents until you become one."
I have an immense respect for moms. (Dad's too but its a different job, maybe another blog topic one of these days.)
Where do you learn to be a mom? Your own mom. I am blessed to have one of the best. Cade and I are almost 4 years apart but Cade was a preemie and my mom spent those early days making sure he would make it and tending to her first child who wasn't quite ready to share her parents (I see my grandma June's arm in this picture trying to comfort me.) My mom raised Cade and I as a Stay at home Mom (SAHM) until I was 12 and than decided to go back to work full time and get her Master's degree...she was still there for everything...what did she sacrifice...sleep?
Matt's mom, Nancy. The mother with a heart of gold. When she married Steve she became a step-mother to Steve's first children, Chris and Jeanette who at the time were 10 and 5 (I think). A year later Matt joined the bunch and than Nick only 18 months after. Sweet Angela came into the picture 6 years after that. Her house was full and busy. She loved being a mom more than anything in this world and she was darn good at it!
Side note: Nick looks a little mad he is in the pink, he always got stuck in the lame color being the younger brother in all!
And our dear grandmothers; My grandma June is the closest thing to a Angel on earth to me. My grandfather was an airforce pilot, an airforce "lifer", so the family moved wherever, whenever and my sweet grandma was the family glue. The picture below: Grandma, Sue, Mike, and my dad...baby Kelly came quite a bit later. I should know how far apart each of them is but I don't, cousins?
Matt's grandma Bert, who is my grandma as well because I really feel like she is:) Is one amazing lady and mother too! Larry traveled a lot for business (he was an electrician who later became the VP of the electrical workers union IBEW.) She raised 3 children and kept the cleanest house on the street. How do I know this? Because at 78 she still does.
Grandma Bert with hers grown, couldn't find picture with her and the kids when they were young.
Why am I telling you all this? because I wanted to share some perspective about being a mom. Because every night when I put Mason to sleep after the long day and we say our prayer I thank god for letting me be Mason's mom and for the examples of mothers he has provided me. These mom's mothered with purpose and integrity and sure they made mistakes and there were days that were hard but they are mom's to the core.
Being a mom is the hardest thing I have ever done. It is also the most rewarding. I am only 20+ months into this.
Last week Mason and I were over at Grandma Bert's and Grandpa Larry's and I was complaining about how I never see Matt these days. He is working A LOT and having to do some "professional" commitments like play golf every week which puts him home after 9pm, those days seem pretty long when Mason is being a typical toddler.
Thank god for grandma because she snapped me out of it quickly!
"Micah, you know I love you but quit your bitching, I had to do this with 3 of them while Larry traveled and we didn't have a dryer and all they had were cloth diapers." and than she went on to remind me about my grandma June being a military wife and not seeing her husband weeks sometimes months, and raising her children. There were probably times they didn't even talk because you know they couldn't shoot you a text or e-mail or even a basic phone call to see how your day was.
I have so much admiration and respect for these ladies. They just did the job and they wouldn't trade it for the world. Thank you god for our older generation because mine is really not so tough...ok maybe not all of my generation but some of us. My best friend Kai's children are 13 months apart, they are 4 and almost 3 so its "easier" now or she is just immune. I have asked her how she does it, she never really bitched to me when they were really young. She said "I didn't?, I must have been too exhausted!"
I love all you mom's and soon to be mom's! Us moms we gotta stick together you know?
I read this funny article in a dated newspaper and had to post it, though a lot has changed for moms these days, kids are kids and this is how most days feel when you are at home with them.
MOM'S BROWNIE RECIPE
Remove teddy bear from oven and preheat oven to 375.
Melt 1-cup margarine in saucepan.
Remove teddy bear from oven and tell JR. "no, no."
Add margarine to 2 cups sugar.
Take shortening can away from JR. and clean cupboards.
Measure 1/3-cup cocoa.
Take shortening can away from JR. again and bathe cat.
Apply antiseptic and bandages to scratches sustained while removing shortening from cat's tail.
Assemble 4 eggs, 2-tsp. vanilla, and 1-1/2 cups sifted flour.
Take smoldering teddy bear from oven and open all doors and windows for ventilation.
Take telephone away from Billy and assure party on the line the call was a mistake.
Call operator and attempt to have direct dialed call removed from bill.
Measure 1-tsp. salt; a cup nuts and beat all ingredients well.
Let cat out of refrigerator.
Pour mixture into well-greased 9x13-inch pan.
Bake 25 minutes.
Rescue cat and take razor away from Billy.
Explain to kids that you have no idea if shaved cats will sunburn.
Throw cat outside while there's still time and he's still able to run away.
FROSTING
Mix the following in saucepan:
1 cup sugar
1 oz unsweetened chocolate
1 cup margarine
Take the teddy bear out of the broiler and throw it away-far away.
Answer the door and meekly explain to nice police officer that you didn't know JR. had slipped out of the house and was heading for the street.
Put JR. in playpen.
Add 1/3-cup milk, dash of salt, and boil, stirring constantly for 2 minutes.
Answer the door and apologize to neighbor for Billy having stuck a garden hose in man's front door mail slot. Promise to pay for ruined carpet.
Tie Billy to clothesline.
Remove burned brownies from oven.
Start on dinner!
Have a nice weekend!
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