Happy Mother's Day!!

Whether you have your precious little one already or you're a waiting momma like me, I hope you all have a wonderful Mother's Day! Next year at this time I'll be holding Lauren tightly and thanking God for finally making me a momma.

Here's a tribune to all types of moms everywhere...

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 alright 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. And for
the mothers who lost their baby in that precious 9 months that they
will never get to watch grow on earth but one day will be reunited
with in Heaven!

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, so 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 or grown up with
babies of their own.

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.

This is for all the step-mothers who raised another woman's child or
children, and gave their time, attention, and love... sometimes
totally unappreciated!

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?

Is 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.