Mother's Day Peace

Honestly, I can't feel but that Mother's Day is a loaded holiday. I'm not even sure where I got the idea. When I was a girl my dad would take us to the local gardening spot and my sister and I would choose a hanging basket for my mama, and we may have gotten her a card and just given her extra hugs and kisses. Thanks, Mom. We love you. That was the message of the day.

But somewhere in the last years I've begun feeling all this strange sort of pressure for Mother's Day. Commercialism, is my guess. Diamond rings...a day at the spa? They both sound great, of course, but I only want the gifts that come with a giving heart, not obligation because of a day on the calendar.

This year I thought it would be fun to go camping on Mother's Day. Kahneeta was booked for the holiday (popular idea?) so we went last weekend. It was so relaxing and we had a few teeny hikes, played games. Nate brought me a sweet bouquet of wild flowers and I thought "THIS. This is Mother's Day. Gifts of the heart and sweet little smiles. Playing with my family and giggling in the early morning over 4 year old jokes that make no sense at all."

These things are thanks enough:

• a loving husband who supports my staying at home and schooling the boys
• all the pictures with flowers and x's and 0's from my cutie boys
• hugs and a million kisses
• a boy who wants to follow me around the house while I clean and tell me about the dream from the night before or a story hatching in his mind
• someone who offers to help clear the table just because
• the beautiful stones the boys bring to me because they need to be seen
• when the boys point out pretty birds or birdsong to me, because they know I love it

And I really want to thank my mom. I'm going to spend Mother's Day with her awhile, and maybe I'll draw her a picture with x's and o's and bring her a bouquet of flowers. And I'll tell her thanks. I know there are a million times she loved me and helped me that I don't even remember. Thanks, Mama. Happy Mother's Day.