Mother’s Day

I have dreaded this day, and weekend for the most part, for basically a year. Almost exactly one year ago, I called mom after she had a very important doctor’s appointment in Houston. I asked almost immediately how it went, what they said, and what are we going to do.

There was a pause.

Thinking the signal was lost I said “Hello?”, and through tears mom said that she did not want to do this over the phone. My heart sank, but I changed the subject so mom would stop crying. That did not keep my mind from wondering what that meant, and I quickly began googling timelines for mom’s type of cancer. I saw variations, but generally it was three months to a year. I prayed and prayed and prayed that if this is what it is, give mom a year. Let her have her fiftieth birthday, let me have one more Thanksgiving, one more Christmas, and one last Mother’s Day to celebrate with her.

Unfortunately she was not given a year, as God must have needed her almost what seemed like immediately. I did not get to watch her turn fifty. I did not get to have Turkey with her and family. I did not get to go through a stocking she gave me stuffed to the brim with candy even after I told her not to since I was trying to lose weight. And today, I did not get to send her a card with a gift card to Corner Bakery, wishing her a happy Mother’s Day, telling her that she is the bestest Mom in the world.

This is of course how I, and I’m sure many others who have lost someone close, thought for many weeks if not months. However, as I read moms notes and looked at her pictures, I realized that I don’t need one day out of the year to celebrate my mom, I can celebrate my mom every single day. Every day I think of her, and think of how thankful I am to have known her, to have been close to her, to be her son, and to have been raised by such a wonderful person. This is what I say every day, because I know she is, and always will be, with me and she deserves to know just how proud I am to have her as my mom.

So, to all the moms and grandmothers out there, both in person and in our hearts, know that no matter the circumstances, no matter the history, and no matter the distance, you are the most important woman in someone’s life and are celebrated not just today, but every day.

Happy Mother’s Day mom, I miss you and love you more than you could ever imagine, and I hope you know just how happy and honored I am to call you mom.

Proverbs 31:25-30 – “Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.”