Mother’s Day Memories – 2011

I’m taking a cue from Dr. Laura and remembering that Mother’s Day is more than getting praises for being a mom, it’s also about sharing sweet memories of your children.

It was Christmas 1987. We had been back in the United States after living in Germany for just a few months. We had a small Christmas tree and as Christmas grew nearer, gifts started to accumulate.

One day, Jennifer, then 3 ½ years old, asked for some wrapping paper, bows, and tape. She went in her room and was secretly busy. After awhile, she came out with two little presents and put them under the tree.

She told me those presents were for mommy because mommy didn’t have any presents under the tree. I get teary to this day when I recall that memory and the sweet, unselfish act of my baby girl.

By the way, she had wrapped up one of her Barbie dolls and her Granny Globug, which I still have.

Patrick has always been a character, one whom you never really knew what was thinking. But given the opportunity, his personality would shine.

In 1991 we had transferred to West Jordan, Utah. His birthday fell past the cut-off day for school, so I enrolled him into Challenger pre-School when he was 4 (1991). At the end the school year, the kids gave the parents a performance.

I remember how proud he looked as he marched into the room with the rest of the kids, holding his smiley-face balloon which was fixed to the end of a plastic dowel. All the kids placed their balloons into a can beside the performance area and went to their performance chairs.

As they started to perform, Patrick’s sparkling personality started to explode. He was sitting at the end of the row, close to the can of smiley-face balloons. As all children remained seated while they sang, Patrick got out of his seat and stood next to the balloons, making smiley faces and dancing alongside the balloons. I couldn’t help but smile from ear-to-ear.

I only wish that I had known one of the parents what were filming the performance and asked for a copy of the tape.

My most favorite memory of being with my mom was during a time in our lives that was full of fear and uncertainty. Once-in-awhile, she would pack my siblings and me into the car and we would go to a small campground a couple of miles up the road from our house. She would bring some hot dogs and we’d have a small picnic.

During those outings, we were together and safe, if for only a short time.

Mother’s Day is all about moms – moms of all types – not necessarily related by blood or marriage or even female. There are plenty of men that have had to be both mom and dad. So honor all the moms that have planted sweet or fond memories into your life.

Most importantly, don’t forget your children and, as Dr. Laura recommends, “Warm their hearts with cute stories about them.”