Whadda Mom!

This past weekend my family and I went to Fort Myers to spend some time with my mom and step dad for the Mother's Day holiday. My two aunts, Dana and Lynare, were also there with Dana's two boys, Joey and Jonathan. We had a fabulous time and reminisced about the good 'ole days while the kids played in the pool and enjoyed each other's company.

About a month ago, my grandmother who was very dear to my heart passed away so this Mother's Day was bittersweet for all of us. My granny was a feisty lady who had strong opinions about matters and was more than willing to share these with others if provoked. She was one of those people with whom you always knew where you stood because she was so blatantly honest (which is a good thing!) So this weekend was a bonding time that my two aunts, my mother, and I had with one another and we relished in the time we had together.

This past Mother's Day, I cried when I left my mother's home. I hadn't done this since I was a teenager. Being with everyone this past weekend was one of the most fulfilling times I have had in my life. When I hugged my mother good bye, I began weeping and I couldn't control my emotions. She just hugged me and patted me like she always did when I was little and for a moment I felt that safety and security like I had felt as a child...the comfort and warmth of being in a mother's arms...my mother's arms. There isn't a sweeter, more welcoming place to be.

The older I get, the more I understand that the time we have on this earth is very limited. You never know when the people whom you love will no longer be there to talk to or laugh with so take my advice--love your family with wreckless abandon, take the time out of your busy day to make that phone call you've been wanting to make, and let the ones you care about know how you feel. You'll never regret taking that step to spend time with the ones you love.

My children love playing with their siblings, but they also love spending time with their cousins, aunts, and uncles. Looking back on my childhood, the things I remember most were not the presents I received for birthdays or the lavish Christmas gifts-- it was spending time with family, camping out on a sleeping bag with my cousins at my Aunt Anita's house, and making silly commercials. These are the things that cannot be purchased and have the most meaning for children. I just hope that as a mother, I am giving my own children these experiences so that they can have a fulfilling childhood like I did. Thanks, Mom.