M is for Mom

I always think of how amazing my own mom is on Mother’s Day. As for me – yeah, I’ve been a mom for three years now. It didn’t hit me until last year.

I was walking through the aisles at Target and came across a really cool, white coffee mug with gold, glammy designs. I turned it around and it read “MOM.” Ha. I remember giving floral Precious Moments Mother’s Day mugs to my mom when I was young.

I loved the mug and found myself staring at it for about a minute. I could get this mug… I am a mom, right?

A week later, I picked up my son from school and he greeted me with a pink bag that said “Happy Mother’s Day!” He was so excited to show me what was inside. It was a sweet card with fingerprints, along with a wooden daisy that he painted pink – all by himself.

I gave him a big hug and kiss, thanking him. On the drive home he was singing in the back as I dozed off into a thought-daydream again. I remember giving my mom all kinds of funky, silly, hand-made crafty items for Mother’s Day every year. When I made them I was so proud of myself. As I got older, I wondered why my mom still collected all our project presents. They did not go with the home décor, and they definitely weren’t enhancing the home’s look. They actually looked completely out of place.

Finally, it hit me. However they looked, they were beautiful to my mom. They were made with love.

The first thing I did when I went home was put the pink wooden daisy in a spot where I could see it every day and smile – on my modern dresser next to my fancy perfumes. It is my son’s first actual Mother’s Day present that he made with his own hands.

This year I got a hand-painted vase and gem-covered wind chimes.

I love all my presents almost as much as I love my little boy.