happy mother's day!

Jess went to London a few weeks ago for work. He was gone from a Sunday to a Sunday. In the middle of the week, I got news from our PTA that I needed a door size poster done in two days. (I'm the room parent for Annabelle's class.) The original instructions hadn't made clear when we were making this poster and it had merely said "a poster." Given my utter disdain for scrapbooking and using scissors in general, I figured I'd just whip one up on the computer and have it printed. No big deal. But door sized and right now? Not the same.

I got out the measuring tape to calculate just how many posters I would need to have overnight printed to make a door sized poster. Too many. It would cost too much. And I realized I suddenly had a whole ton of work to do. This isn't my first run in with our PTA's inefficiency, and I was frustrated. Add in my single parent status and my hormone overload, and I came undone. Had a full blown breakdown.

The girls each looked at me and ran away quietly. Lou came back first with a small paper with L-O-U (the only thing she can spell) scribbled above a little blob person. In the way that is only Lou, she gave me a hug before I could blink and told me she loved me. Belle was right behind her. She smiled her no tooth smile that is so very much her and handed me a note that read, "I rilly want you to be happee uhbout the big poster. Love  Annabelle." Then out of her small hands tumbled a dollar bill and 76 cents in change. Her own money to pay for the poster. So I could be happy again.

Yeah, I lost it big time.

These babies of mine are my best friends. We were without our daddy, but we were together, and when I wasn't taking good care of anything, they jumped to my rescue. They knew what I needed and were happy to help. I truly can't believe how lucky I am to be their mommy. They're growing up so fast, and it's so bittersweet, but how I love that they are my friends, that we talk and giggle, that we take care of each other.

Being a mom is basically my favorite thing. Ever. The best job, the hardest job, the most rewarding and sacred job. And I'm so grateful. An infinite amount of gratitude is owed to my mom, the one who did this first, who gave me the chance to try to be just like her.

And how grateful I am for one more chance as well, for the tiny thing stretching out my belly, a visible and daily reminder of how lucky I am - to be a mom. It's the best.

Happy Mother's Day y'all.

Photos from my mom's wedding (!) in April. I look sort of like a pioneer, I know. But there's a ten week (food baby) belly I'm attempting to camouflage. :)