Word to Your Mother

So, if you have kids, you know how they completely take you for granted?  They live under the constant assumption that you enter each day delighted with the prospect of fulfilling their every want and need and that you require no sort of thanks (be that verbal or in chocolate) to continue doing this for the next twenty years.  You have to actually teach children empathy, sympathy, and  kindness towards others because it just doesn't come naturally.  And even then they still don't really get how much you do for them until they become parents themselves.

Now skip forward 25 years.

I STILL seem to expect my mother to do all of the above things with nary a nod of gratitude.  After reflecting back on this weekend I couldn't help but think of all the things my mom did to make my life easier.  I think I threw in a couple of, oh yeah, thanks, in there but nothing that really summarizes all she did this weekend.  So Mom, this is for you!

1.  For lunch on Saturday afternoon, before the party, Mom brought over homemade bread and all the fixings for sandwiches so that I didn't have to worry about feeding everyone.  She then got everything out and ready and cleaned up.

2.  Thinking in advance, she brought over an extra frying pan to help make millions of pancakes in.  She also brought over a box of peaches to cut up and put on the pancakes.

3.  She then proceeded to peel all the peaches (thank you David for chopping!) and stand over the stove and make every last pancake.

4.  I went upstairs to throw some dirty dish towels in my hamper only to find it missing.  My mom over the course of the weekend did ALL OF MY WASH.  It was clean and folded and ready to put away when I went downstairs last night.

5.  On Sunday my parents watched the kids for us while Greg and I got a rare date.  While I was out they bought pizza for everyone.  Add to this the fact that Greg and I didn't think once about leaving our kids with them because they are so competent.  That is a gift itself.

6.  Mom and Dad let Aubrey spend not only the night with them on Saturday night but sleep in between them in their bed.  That is until Mom finally moved to the air mattress on the floor that was supposed to be for Aubrey.  I figure sacrifice on behalf of grandchildren is a sacrifice on my behalf as well.

7.  I would find mom just picking up.  I saw her clean up all the blocks Nathan had spewed over the toy room.  She did dishes, swept, and any other little chore that she saw.  

8.  Oh, and she brought over all the paper plates and utensils that we used over the weekend.

9.  She fed Dane, held Dane, wiped faces, changed diapers, cleaned up puke (thank you Dane for always adding that special treat to any occasion), and snuggled grandkids.

Honestly, I know I a forgetting probably half of what she did but those are the highlights.  Please remember too that she did all of this without once being asked.  I mean really, if I'm half the mom she is than I'll be setting my kids up for life!

p.s.  Lest you think I don't love my dad, he pretty much rocks too.  He is the first person to move you to the sixth floor apartment, build you a printer stand, spend hours looking for the right ethernet card, spend an hour outside with your kids when they are driving you nuts, offer to clean their hands with Comet Bleach cleaner (sorry, I couldn't resist but that is actually true.  I declined.), call you from the hotel that is 2 minutes from your house to let you know they got their safely since they have your baby girl with them, fill your car up with gas, get you a Starbucks when you just look like you have to have one, and obviously many other things.  I had to give a round of thanks to my mommy this time though because she made my whole weekend easier.  Thanks Mom and Dad!