Mother's Day

Mother...mentor, teacher, nurse, chauffeur, chef, maid, coach, psychologist, disciplinarian, Assistant Frog-catcher, Doll-clothes Seamstress and Chief Monster-chaser. I have done all of the above!

Mother's Day..a day set aside to honor all mothers! So I will begin by defining just what my duties were as a mother! Mentor..first and foremost..I tried to be a mentor. Hmmm..well..lets just leave it at that..I tried! I am not sure that I succeeded in mentoring anyone past the age of three..after that..well, it seems that kids are a lot smarter these days! Teacher..well that sort of falls in the same category as mentor, but on a different level. I taught! I taught wise things such as "Never count all of your eggs in one basket!" and "A stitch in time works a lot better than a stapler or Scotch tape!" and one must not forget the best and most favorite lesson "Never go looking for trouble or you might find it in a handbasket!" Yes, I taught wise and practical lessons!

There was the important job as nurse. Here, I had plenty of experience! If one kid came down sick, you could almost bet that the other two would have the same ailment within twenty-four hours..only worse. (Yes, with three kids, I acquired lots of experience nursing!) If I could give any tips on nursing, they would be the following..poke medicines down the mouth, make sure the children get plenty of rest, keep a garbage can handy at all times, learn the amazing talent of creating shadow puppets on the ceiling, carve melon balls at three in the morning (one kid always wanted melon balls when ill) and do not be afraid to wear out rocking chairs while holding sick babies.

The job of chauffeur took up many hours of motherhood. It was not too bad when the kids were babies. I kept them home. It was far easier to stay at home than to pack endless items in diaper bags, backpacks and any available box to make the move to any destination for a mere hour. I always threatened to hook the house to a trailer hitch and tow it behind the car. It would have been less difficult than trying to remember what all needed to be carted along on any outing. There were the usual things like bottles, diapers, pins (yes, I used cloth diapers..those things that required safety pins.) burp cloths, and rubber duckies..but there were things that the older children took as well. For an hour visit to Grandma and Papa's house, Barbie Dolls, dinosaurs, bicycles, building blocks, puppies, kittens, cookies, buckets, ropes, fishing poles and chickens usually found their way into the car. There was one incident where a three foot long alligator even rode home with us from Papa's house..in the back seat..with three little kids..hmm..I must admit being a chauffeur to an alligator went above and beyond the call of duty.

Chef..now here is an interesting topic. Not to re-mention the melon balls..but being a chef was always fun in this house. I was not afraid to let my children cook! As matter of fact..I encouraged it. After all, if they were cooking..I did not have to! So, cook we did! We invented wild and wonderful dishes! Not to be confused with healthy and nutritious meals. These were two different things altogether! I admit that at the time, chocolate cake seemed like a logical choice for breakfast and homemade pizza was good any time! There were "Chocolate Gooey Cakes" and other delights that should have been called "Heart attacks on a Plate". These are the things that diets were invented to cure! I had to cook meals for three very different kids. There was the vegetarian kid, the eat-anything kid and the "I want soybean chicken nuggets and instant mashed potatoes" kid. So, I fed them chocolate cake and homemade pizza! Easy solution!

Maid..we should not even go there.

Coach..I was a great coach! Not that any of the kids played organized sports but we had the Summer Olympics in the backyard every year unlike the real things that you had to wait four years to watch. There were amazing box-hurdle relays, jump rope tug-o-wars, and archery events with homemade bows and arrows that would shoot in huge arcs to the left or right. This made for interesting contests..especially when the observers would have to dodge the arrows that would be lobbed in their direction because of the curving action! I, also, coached dancing! Not that I could ever dance myself, but coaching it is a different story! I was called the drill sergeant of dance!

Psychologist and disciplinarian duties could be all wrapped up in two phrases..."I told you so." and "Because I told you so!"

Assistant frog-catcher..self explanatory, but perhaps one of my favorite jobs! Doll clothes seamstress..self explanatory..but one of my most confusing jobs being as I did not and still do not know how to sew! Chief Monster-chaser..this was fun! It took quite the creative bravery to still the fears of a child's active imagination. But..I was up for the job! I was a knight.. ummm ..knightess (?) in shining armor! I was brave, strong and amazingly adept at ridding the Under-bed Kingdom of all sorts of ogres!

Perhaps there were many more jobs to being a mother, but even these did not seem to be chores. Rather, as I look back on it..these were all fun and games..things I miss.

Mother's Day..it is a day set aside to honor all mothers. A day when we take our mothers out to dinner, buy them gifts or remember them in our hearts because they have passed from this world. I remember mine as a kind and loving lady. A lady that played the piano when she was happy. One that "loved" her old housedresses because they were "soft and comfortable". One that could turn one small chicken into a meal for multitudes by just adding a few potatoes or carrots to the pot. She was someone that taught her children that respect, love and kindness were great riches and wealth was not to be confused with money or material things. Lessons of a lifetime were instilled one at a time with a gentle hand.

I remember my mother-in-law as a lady that was kind and quiet but would stand up to lions if someone she loved was threatened. A serene, good-hearted woman that worked hard, laughed easily and taught by example. I remember her opening her heart to a timid daughter-in-law and accepting her as she was. I was blessed to have acquired not only a mother-in-law, but another mother..a true friend..a mentor. This lady taught me how to be a mother-in-law..I only hope that I can be the wonderful mother-in-law that she was.

Then I think of the grandmothers, aunts, cousins, sisters, sister-in-laws and friends who have all at one time or another lent a hand, a shoulder or just moral support. Those that "mother" without being your real mother. They are there when times are hard..giving you love when you need it, reprimanding you when you deserve it and still coming back for more when they can be of help.

Happy Mother's Day.........