MOTHER'S DAY 2008

As I mailed Mom's Mother's Day gift this afternoon, I started thinking about how truly blessed I am.

I am blessed because I have a Mom to celebrate this day with. Though we are miles apart, still. . . I have her. I know she's there when I want to call when I'm upset or want to complain or to share a story she's there. I think about some of my friends who do not have their Mom and realize how lucky I am. My favorite times ever with Mom were all the times we stayed up late just talking. They still are. . . as I look forward to her visits home when she stays with us and still we will stay up late talking. Of course, then there all the shopping times. . .And the weekend we went to New York. All moments I will always treasure.

I am blessed because I have so many wonderful women in my life from aunts, cousins, sister in laws and friends. All of them help me to be who I am. I learn from the every day. I am grateful for each one of them and for all they do, for all the ways they influence my children.

And I am blessed because I have two of the most wonderful, thoughtful children that I've ever known. Without them, I would never have known that one person could hold so many jobs at the same time; nurse, teacher, chef, taxi driver, social planner, maid, personal assistant. I never knew I was that ambitious. But seriously. . . Having them give me the privilege to hold the most prestigious title of all -- MOM -- and
I would never have known how much love my heart could actually hold.

I wish all of you a Happy Mother's Day. To Lauren and Matthew, thank you for letting me get to be part of that elite group called "Mothers".