mother's day

This year for Mother's Day I didn't have an elaborate breakfast or brunch, no one gave me a bunch of fabulous gifts or a "break" from the Pea so I could relax, I didn't hit the spa for any pampering...and yet, it was THE best Mother's Day ever.

The Pea and I spent the day together carrying out our usual rituals, and to anyone outside looking in, it was just another Sunday...only it wasn't. It was my first Mother's Day as a single girl, and since the Pea is still too young to really grasp the concept, I knew if I wanted it to be special I would have to make it that way...and it was. I won't go through the whole day, cuz it was really like most any other Sunday: DD, shopping, grass cutting, weeding, cleaning, laundry. The only departure from the norm was a trip south to visit my grandparents, aunts, and uncles. It was a quick visit, and we just sat and talked for a few hours, but by the time we got on the road to come home it was 5:30. It takes almost an hour to get home, and knowing we were still gonna have to do a bath, read books and cuddle for awhile upon arriving home; I decided we would hit a drive-thru on the way into town, for dinner.

About a week ago a made a mix CD for the Pea...it has all her favorite songs. We listened to that CD on the drive home, and since it is just over an hour, got to hear all of the songs...and a few twice. They will forever be the soundtrack to this day, and every time I hear one I will smile. As we made the drive north, on the highway so I could set the cruise and dance and sing with her, we heard: Beyonce's Single Ladies, Carrie Underwood's Last Name, When I Grow Up by The Pussycat Dolls, and Jack Johnson's Upside Down to name a few. As we came over the bridge and through downtown: Robert Randolf and The Family Band were belting out Aint Nothing Wrong With That, then came Sugarland with Steve Earl, and finally Boom Boom Pow, by the Black Eyed Peas (which we had to play 3 times "again! again!"). Every new song that came on she clapped and said "Mommy my song!" and finally I explained that I made the CD for her, and that I knew they were all her favorites, and that's why they were on it. She pondered for a minute and then said "Thank you mommy for making my music for me, you are the bestest mommy ever." I nearly started crying.

This morning after leaving DD I ended up heading home without swinging by Sam's to fill up the car with gas and run through the car wash (I just completely forgot I planned on doing so)...considering I had had a sprinkle doughnut and FIVE chocolate munchkins with my large coffee (it was a holiday, I splurged) and hadn't eaten dinner the night before it was very likely I was in a near diabetic coma and it's a wonder I was able to drive home at all (much less remember all the things on my to-do list)...and I figured it would be the perfect end to the day if we filled up the car, swung through Wendy's, and ate our dinner in the car wash while listening to the rest of the CD. I ordered us a 10 piece chicken nugget, medium fry, and lemonade. I divided it in half, handed hers back to her, and we drove in; we ate "together" in the car wash, and then in the parking lot just outside the car wash, and heard: Carole King's Where You Lead, I will Follow...Make You Feel My Love, by Adele...and Bob Shneider's The World Exploded Into Love. I looked back at my little Pea, with a mouth full and big smile, and I thought to myself: "These are the moments...these, right here." I am very grateful to not only have a daughter, and be able to share those moments, but to "get" that they are fleeting, and they are amazing, and they are the things I will miss the most when she is 15 and hates me...and then John Mayer's Daughters came on, and I bawled all the way home.

What made today great was going through it with the knowledge that I am blessed with something really special: the opportunity to enjoy, really enjoy, my baby girl growing up. A lot of moms are so tired, stressed, sad, and lonely, and afraid to tell anyone about it for fear of being judged or viewed as ungrateful, that they don't get to enjoy those "moments"...most moms need a special day to feel appreciated and loved because they go through most of their other days not feeling that way.

The rest of y'all moms, who not only feel loved and appreciated every day but ALSO get a day at the spa and brunch, well...you can bite me. Happy Mother's Day!