Mother’s Day Thanksgiving

I am thankful for my friend Marie who I can see is going to be a wonderful older-woman mentor for me.  She is full of grace and love and understanding, and she passes that on with such kindness and gentleness.  She also brought us a whole bunch of fish she and her husband caught, already cleaned and filleted.

I am thankful for my husband who makes it a point to just be here.  Sometimes, that’s frustrating, but most of the time, I like having him around.

I am thankful for my children who make me laugh and make me cry and make sure I take time to just be and breathe and live in the right-here-and-now, with no expectations , no plans, no fears.  Otherwise, I’d just keep rushing headlong through everything.  No, wait.  If I didn’t have these children, I wouldn’t have nearly so much to do….  I’m thankful for them, anyway.

I am thankful for my friend Pat who, I told my mother recently, is like a mother, sister and best friend all rolled into one.  I don’t know how I went so long without her.

And I’m thankful for my mother, who raised us all, my sisters and me, working her way through the endless round of meals and laundry and last minute school projects.  This is no easy job, this motherhood, but she gave us her best, and where would any of us be without her?

Thank you, Mommy; thank you, children; thank you, Davey; thank you, Pat; and thank you, Marie.  I love you all.