Mother's Day 2010

A day to honor, celebrate, and remember mothers. I keep saying I was never meant to be a mother: ‘I have the right biological equipment but the wrong mental attitude’. I also say my kids (daughter Sara and step-daughter Stephanie) grew up to be great women, in spite of what I did. Both had some teen-age and beyond moments, but they have turned into women I am proud of and amazed by.
Motherhood: that 8 pound, 20 inch bit of a new person that nothing can prepare you for the first look at, the first time holding her – all of the firsts: first word, step, day of school, overnight away from, illness, accident, boyfriend, driving lesson, heartbreak, disappointment, life lesson, confession – all of the firsts, and the seconds and beyond. The trials, tribulations and triumphs. The joy and despair. The worry and wondering, sentiment and surprises, delights and tragedies. Nothing can prepare for it and nothing can compare with it.
“Mom, does it hurt when you have a baby?” “Yes, it hurts very much for a while.” “But then when you have the baby and hold it and everything you forget about that part, huh?” Pause to marvel at the insight a child can have, “Yes, yes, you do forget all about that part.”
At missing being the flag carrier in a rain-cancelled parade “This is the worst day of my life!”
From a leader during a very brief time in girl scouts: “When things aren’t going right, along comes Sara with her little smile and I feel better….”
“She pee’d on my jacket!!”
“We can’t sit with you (as young teens at a at a Disney movie) – you laugh too much. It’s embarrassing.”
At about age 12: “You better watch out, Mom, I’m bigger than you now.” “Yeah, well, you come on back when you get tougher.” Stephanie: “That’s Barbara, the Mighty Midget.” (that I used as a CB handle and still use for my email address)
“I’m gonna move in with Dickie.” “I’ve been expecting that.” “If it doesn’t work, can I move back home?” “You can always move back home – but I’m gonna say I told you so.” (She did and I did.)
And a whole bunch more.
Both girls, yes, Stephanie, who was afraid of blood, turned to nursing home work. Stephanie got her LPN, now she is part of the administration of a large senior facility. And is a mother to 5 girls herself.
Sara, who got her GED, learned bookkeeping on her own on some jobs, learned computer work on her own on some jobs, joined the rescue squad (that as a teen she professed to hate and never want any part of), and now is the administrator, running the whole thing. She’s got Stephen, who just keeps on giving me reason to say: ‘Grandchildren – a parent’s revenge.”
So, somehow, somewhere, sometime, I did something right. And I have to thank my girls for helping me be a mother to help them become what they did. I’m sorry for everything I did wrong and I’m glad we all got beyond it. And I’m proud that you became the great mothers you are. I love you. Happy Mother’s Day.