My Best Mother's Day Yet!

Mother's Day was a holiday I never particularly cared for in the past. Although I have three children and love being their mom, the actual holiday was not one I enjoyed. The reason for this is that when my children were little, both grandmothers were alive, and Mother's Day became all about the grandmothers. That was fine, but it meant shuffling everyone around to make sure we were able to visit with both sets of grandmothers. By the time we had gone to church, and then saw both "Grammy" and "Nana" I was too tired to enjoy the day myself. And my gifts from the kids (actually from their Dad who had the kids write their names on the card) were just given to me quickly before church. As the children got older, it became a bit easier to see everyone at once because we went to my sister-in-laws' home and both sets of grandparents were invited there. That was much nicer and generous of them to host the celebration but still made for a long day. Then my children became teenagers, and the last thing on their minds was Mother's Day. If they weren't working, they still came along to family celebrations of Mother's Day, but one got the feeling they would rather be doing something else. I started resenting Mother's Day because it seemed like such an obligation to my own children. And although I asked them not to spend their money on store-bought cards, preferring home made cards instead...the expensive store bought cards kept coming...along with gifts from them that their Dad paid for, even though by this time we were divorced, and the kids were old enough to buy their own. Often, the gift was a potted plant...which they knew I didn't enjoy because I have a brown thumb and the plants always died before summer hit each year!

As the children got older, it became a bit easier to see everyone at once because we went to my sister-in-laws' home and both sets of grandparents were invited there. That was much nicer and generous of them to host the celebration but still made for a long day. Then my children became teenagers, and the last thing on their minds was Mother's Day. If they weren't working, they still came along to family celebrations of Mother's Day, but one got the feeling they would rather be doing something else. I started resenting Mother's Day because it seemed like such an obligation to my own children. And although I asked them not to spend their money on store-bought cards, preferring home made cards instead...the expensive store bought cards kept coming...along with gifts from them that their Dad paid for, even though by this time we were divorced, and the kids were old enough to buy their own. Often, the gift was a potted plant...which they knew I didn't enjoy because I have a brown thumb and the plants always died before summer hit each year!

My three children are now 21 and 18 ( twins), and last year I decided Mother's Day would just be for my mom. Their Dad's mother had sadly passed away, and after the divorce, we didn't get together with his side of the family anymore anyway. So, tired of feeling as though Mother's Day was an obligation to my kids, I just resigned myself to giving my mom a nice day and not celebrate the holiday myself. My husband wanted to make sure I had something special for Mother's Day, so he bought me a bouquet of fresh flowers which cheered me up.

But low and behold, kids can be full of surprises. This year, I told the kids that the only thing I wanted for Mother's Day was for us to take their grandmother out to lunch at a restaurant of her choice. She chose one that was not too expensive, and she and I arrived first. Imagine my surprise when my three children walked into the restaurant with flowers ( because they now know I like cut flowers), and a home made card that was actually quite funny! They had all signed it, and the most artistic one decorated it. They did buy a card for my mom, so knowing that they had been at a store and could have bought one for me made the home made card that much more special. The three of them bought lunch for all of us, and I had the best Mother's Day I have ever had. It's so nice when kids grow up and start being more appreciative of their parents. Maybe there is hope for Mother's Day in my family yet!