"Motherless" Mother's Day

A few weeks ago I saw an advertisement for a "Motherless" Mother's Day brunch. This was a time for  any woman whose mother had died to get together and remember their loved one. This made me stop for a minute and think –– am I motherless?  She didn't abandon me. A stork didn't drop me in Canal Fulton, Ohio 37 years ago. I know exactly where my mother is right now. Did she stop being my mom just because she died? I didn't stop being Allison's mom when she died. So no, I am not motherless, and I don't think any amount of time would change my answer.

My mother could be a pain. She was many at times stubborn. She could be a bit selfish. She was a horrible cook. You may have been talking to a wall anytime an Ohio State football game was on television. But she had so many amazing qualities that outweighed her "moments". My mother helped me through some of the darkest times in my life after Allison died. She was dedicated to teaching and helping teenagers. The messages we received from past students last fall after she died showed us the impact she made in their lives. She was an awesome, lay-down-your-life type of friend, and would do anything for them. She was a huge animal lover, and at times I am pretty sure she liked the dogs better than her own kids. If you looked up perseverance in the dictionary you would find her picture. She really loved my dad, and although they drove each other crazy at times,  I never once doubted the love she had for my father. And her family –– she would lay down her own life for them if that is what she had to do.

We don't always like our moms. There was that party we didn't get to go to. That boy we weren't supposed to date. That time we were grounded you for something our sibling did. But no matter how angry I may have been at times, I always loved my mom.

I was very blessed that I got to spend so much time with her last summer. It wasn't always happy time, but it was precious time that I will forever cherish. I wish I had known last year that it was my last Mother's Day with my mom. So I encourage you -- call your mom. Send her a card. Cherish her. You never know when you won't get a another day with her.

And this year, no matter how big of a hole I have in my heart, I know my mother is having an amazing Mother's Day because for the first time in 34 years she gets to spend the day with her mom. And I know that is something she wished for every day.

So happy Mother's Day mom. I love and miss you very much.

The Meanest Mother

We were given this at church today and I thought it was fitting, especially for those with tween/teen age kids.

Happy Mother's Day!

The Meanest Mother

I had the meanest mother in the whole world. While other kids ate candy for breakfast, I had to have cereal, eggs or toast. When others had cokes and candy for lunch, I had to eat a sandwich. As you can guess, my supper was different than the other kids' also.

But at least, I wasn't alone in my sufferings. My sister and two brothers had the same mean mother as I did.

My mother insisted upon knowing where we were at all times. You'd think we were on a chain gang. She had to know who our friends were and where we were going. She insisted if we said we'd be gone an hour, that we be gone one hour or less--not one hour and one minute. I am nearly ashamed to admit it, but she actually struck us. Not once, but each time we had a mind of our own and did as we pleased. Now you can begin to see how mean she really was.

We had to wear clean clothes and take a bath. The other kids always wore their clothes for days. We reached the height of insults because she made our clothes herself, just to save money. Why, oh why, did we have to have a mother who made us feel different from our friends? The worst is yet to come. We had to be in bed by nine each night and up at eight the next morning. We couldn't sleep till noon like our friends. So while they slept-my mother actually had the nerve to break the child-labor law. She made us work. We had to wash dishes, make beds, learn to cook and all sorts of cruel things. I believe she laid awake at night thinking up mean things to do to us.

She always insisted upon us telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, even if it killed us - and it nearly did.

By the time we were teen-agers, she was much wiser, and our life became even more unbearable. None of this tooting the horn of a car for us to come running. She embarrassed us to no end by making our dates and friends come to the door to get us. If I spent the night with a girlfriend, can you imagine she checked on me to see if I were really there. I never had the chance to elope to Mexico. That is if I'd had a boyfriend to elope with. I forgot to mention, while my friends were dating at the mature age of 12 and 13, my old fashioned mother refused to let me date until the age of 15 and 16. Fifteen, that is, if you dated only to go to a school function. And that was maybe twice a year.

Through the years, things didn't improve a bit. We could not lie in bed, "sick" like our friends did, and miss school. If our friends had a toe ache, a hang nail or serious ailment, they could stay home from school. Our marks in school had to be up to par. Our friends' report cards had beautiful colors on them, black for passing, red for failing. My mother being as different as she was, would settle for nothing less than ugly black marks.

As the years rolled by, first one and then the other of us was put to shame. We were graduated from high school. With our mother behind us, talking, hitting and demanding respect, none of us was allowed the pleasure of being a drop-out.

My mother was a complete failure as a mother. Out of four children, a couple of us attained some higher education. None of us have ever been arrested, in drug rehab, divorced or beaten his mate. Each of my brothers served his time in the service of this country. And whom do we have to blame for the terrible way we turned out? You're right, our mean mother. Look at the things we missed. We never got to march in a protest parade, nor to take part in a riot, burn draft cards, and a million and one other things that our friends did.

She forced us to grow up into God-fearing, educated, honest adults. Using this as a background, I am trying to raise my three children. I stand a little taller and I am filled with pride when my children call me mean.

Because, you see, I thank God, He gave me the meanest mother in the whole world.

Author: Bobbie Pingaro

A Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all the mommies out there! I hope everyone had a nice day.

My husband and kids rock. I got breakfast in bed, some clothes (imagine the shock of that one, DH never buys me clothes) and a stone patio. Sounds silly but that is what I asked for. DH did an awesome job, and decided to do some front landscaping while he was in the brick mode. Now that I have the patio, I would love some ideas and suggestions as to what to put on it. I have two things of flowers right now, but would love some ideas of things to really make it look nice.

Now I have asked for a screened in porch for my birthday. Wonder what the chances are of getting that.
I think it will really look nice once the grass grows in around it.
A view from the side.
A planter for on the patio. Once this starts to grow in I think it will look great.
A planter on my deck. It was too pretty not to take a picture.
The edging bricks in the front. They really make a difference!
A work in progress. You can see what the front looked like without the edging blocks here.
My awesome $12 hanging baskets from the Farmer's Market. If I could I would live at the farmers market.

Mother's Day Giveaway

5 Minutes For Mom is doing it again. More contests!!! This time they are giving away some awesome gifts for Mother's Day –– including an ipod nano!!

Just click the button in this post and it will take you to the site. Leave a comment on the posts you would like to win and then sit back and cross your fingers that your name is pulled.

And while there have a look around. I am betting you will love it just as much as I do.

My Mom

My mom says I never talk about her in my blog. So in honor of Mother's Day next week I thought I would dedicate a whole entry to her.

Growing up I would have to admit I had a "love to hate" relationship with my mother. At the time I saw everything she did and said as being "out to ruin my life". As an adult, and a mother myself, I know everything she did and said was because she loved me.

My mom is such an interesting and a fun person to be around. You never quite know what she will say. She is so innocent on worldly things that it is cute. I never will forget her telling the story of using "slang" terms in her classroom thinking it meant the same thing it did 40 years ago.

My mom eat, sleeps and breathes Ohio State, especially Ohio State football. She is who I got my passion for books from. She spends even more money on books than I do, and except for her goofy "Murder She Wrote" series, we love the same type of books. My mom loves ballpoint pens. She had a thousand speciality pens made for her classroom (of course they said Vayan Bucks, or Go Bucks in Spanish). She has a weird habit of collecting hotel, restaurant, bank and any other type of ballpoint pens. The cheaper the better. Give her a set of golf clubs or a swimming pool and she is a happy camper. She loves animals and has been known to save injured animals she finds laying on the side of the road or ones that seem to wind up in my parents yard. She can't cook worth a darn, but she can order some great takeout.

My mom was one of the people who helped me through Allison's death. I never will forget how she helped me those last few days in the hospital nor the insightful words she said. I also thank her for making me laugh during some of the darkest days of my life.

We haven't always gotten along, but what bratty teenagers do? (yes I was a brat) But I am proud to call my mom one of my best friends. I pray that someday I can be as much of an awesome mom to my kids, as she was, and continues to be to me.

Happy early Mother's Day mom. I love you.