One Of the Best

Most years I write a Mothers' Day post about how wonderful my mom is, or how blessed I am to have such a loving mother-in-law and both of those things are still the case.

But this year, I just feel the overwhelming desire to embrace that this Mothers' Day is the best I've ever had (and I'm writing this Saturday night... the day hasn't even happened yet, which tells you how perfect this Mothers' Day is).

We had an early Mothers' Day celebration with my mom, Grammie, before she and Papa left a few days ago -- which adds to my joy this Mothers' Day.  Not only am I the Mama... but my own Mother is safe and happy and actively cultivating a very special relationship with my children.  I am in the perfect, most joyful season of being the middle generation -- I have my mom, and I am the mom.

 

Especially since we celebrated a little early, Hubby and I have nothing planned for Mothers' Day -- I mean, there may be a surprise or two for me but we are going no where... not even to church (which is a first) and doing nothing out of the ordinary.  Hubby is sick and Howard and Caroline are teething, and Tracey is going through a new phase where she is awake and ready for the day between 5-6 every morning, and I'm really struggling with my general shape since having the twins... but this Mothers' Day is perfect, and one of the best I will ever have and I want to acknowledge that.

Hubby would do anything I want to on Mothers' Day.  I could tell him I want to go to Vegas, or to brunch, or anywhere in between and he would make it happen.  But I don't want to go anywhere.  For one thing, it is really hard to do, but mostly, I want a day at home with our beautiful little family.  How blessed is my life that when asked what I want to do and how I want to spend the day -- and the sky is the limit, I want to do our normal thing... with maybe a bonus of an extra long shower without children?  I want to spend my Mothers' Day letting Hubby get some rest so he begins to feel better, taking care of our twins, and letting Tracey run around our house and yard -- maybe a trip to the park.  Our normal IS the celebration for my special day.

I have three perfect children, and they are at ages where they absolutely adore me.  I do not deserve it at all, but I can make a Mothering mistake with Howard and Caroline, and they still want to be held by me.  I can reprimand Tracey and she gets sad, and 10 seconds later she is giggling and hugging me or tugging on my hand saying, "Con Mama" (Come on, Mama).  My children want to spend time with me.  They need me.  They have never once told me I should really put on some make-up or curl my hair, lest I embarrass them.  Every day each of them looks into my eyes and gives me the biggest smiles and giggles and my heart feels like it might explode.

They are at such precious ages, and it will not always be this way.

Last night, I was in our bedroom and Caroline was asleep in the bassinet, and Howard couldn't sleep so he was on the bed with me.  He wasn't fussing, but he was wide awake.  Then little Tracey toddled into our room holding a box of bread sticks -- a pizza dinner had been delivered as a Mothers' Day treat.  She looked at me and held out the box and said, "Happy Day, Mama!!!" -- which was her version of "Happy Mothers' Day, Mama" and it was the most precious sight.

I need nothing more from Mothers' Day.

There may be larger-scale Mothers' Days in the future at some point.  But, I really feel that today might just be one of the best.

Three healthy children, three children who love me, three children I can hold and play with, one amazing husband, their father whom I get to walk beside and love on this crazy parenting journey, all the while knowing that my greatest responsibility in life is being  mother to my children and wife to my husband.

For me, there is no greater joy.