The Reason for the Season

This is a totally belated Mother’s Day post, but I didn’t want to forget it. I feel like this blog has replaced my journal lately, so I wanted to make sure I included my thoughts and experiences from Mom’s Day 2008.

Last Thursday, Avery’s after-school kindergarten class had a special program for their Mom’s. They had the gym decorated with cut lilacs, flowery tablecloths, and trays of cookies and jugs of iced tea (with 1 lone lemonade for a certain Mom who can’t drink tea because "it’s against her religion"…hee hee). The kids filed into the gym in an orderly row, following Mrs. T and formed 2 lines.

The tall kids were in the back (hi Avery!), and the little ones in the front.

From the moment she walked into the gym, a lump formed in my throat and I didn’t know if I was going to cry or giggle. She’s such a cute little girl and she just makes my heart sing, and break, and laugh all at the same time. She told me she didn’t feel good that morning, but that is the case most mornings. She’s not a morning person and most days tells Mark and I that she doesn’t want to go to school, etc. She said she had a headache. I told her she’d probably be fine and if she felt yucky to tell her teachers. I figured it was like any other day. After arranging the students, Mrs. T stopped by where I was sitting to tell me that Avery took a long nap in the afternoon instead of eating her lunch and wasn’t her usual self that day. I looked at her, and I could tell she was not feeling good. She yawned her way through the first couple songs, and regardless of how crappy she felt she never gave up.

Not even when they did the Macarena and I could tell it was draining every ounce of her energy to do the movements with the class.

She yawned, and slumped, and did her best as only she can. After she finished, she crumpled into my lap and wanted to go home. She didn’t even want the cookies or the “lemonade”. I must admit it felt good to have her long body snuggled up on my lap again. She was warm and I could tell she had a temperature. I wanted to just rock her and hold her close.

Maryn’s class was also having a Mom’s Day Tea that was at 4 pm. I told Avery we could go home for a little bit and come back, or just wait for it on the couch in the SACC room. She found her blanket and pillow from earlier and curled up on the couch. I sat next to her, rubbing her back and talking. Eventually she decided she needed some fresh air, so we went for a little walk outside to her playground. She told me what she does on recess, and who she plays with, and picked up a few seed pods from the ground and showed me how there’s “cotton” inside of them. It was wonderful following her around and letting her share her life with me. Eventually we went back inside and Maryn saw me and nearly knocked me over in her enthusiasm. She grabbed my hand and directed me back into the gym with the flowers, tablecloths, and cookie trays and told me to sit down and took my order. She kept reminding Mrs. T that she needed 2 lemonades cause her Mom doesn’t drink iced tea (it’s against my religion, remember?). There was no singing for Maryn’s class, but lots of visiting and enjoying our time together. (Some had a more enthusiastic time than others...hello Maryn!)

After we were done, I scooped up my little girls and we went home. I felt so much joy and pride that afternoon. I realized how blessed and lucky I am to be a Mother…their Mother. They truly are worth it in every way.

Other Mom’s Day highlights included: Mark staying home with Avery (who ended up having strep) on Friday, and doing all the Saturday chores a day early!! Hallelujah!! That included cleaning, laundry, and grocery shopping people! Saturday we had the whole day to just play and relax. We went on a long bike ride, and just kind of lazed around. It was great! Sunday morning, I got breakfast in bed, followed by homemade cards and gifts, a little chocolate, and some iTunes goodness. At church, we got to attend RS instead of Primary sharing time, and that was a real treat. They had a wonderful program that just made me weep. All in all, it was a great Mother’s Day!