Friday, May 11, 2007

The Perfect Gift

I love to get presents. I love to be pampered. And I love to give presents, too. So I have no issue with these made-up holidays. But as mother always said, the best gifts can't be bought in a store. My mother said this very thing the Christmas I made her a pencil holder out of a juice can, green clay and red rick-rack. She said it was her very favorite gift. It was ugly as sin, but you know what? I believe she meant it.

In honor of mother's everywhere, I give you my top five MOTHER'S DAY GIFTS THAT CAN'T BE BOUGHT:

1. A DAY FREE FROM GUILT
You let your kids watch too much t.v.? You let them eat candy? Or God Forbid, FRUIT SNACKS? This is the perfect gift for you. The blame will be assigned somewhere else when the dental-doctor-therapist bill/failing report card/police car comes.

2. A DAY FREE FROM WORRY
Your child is behaving badly at the park? Sick with a fever? Failing in school? I give you one day of sunshine, fresh air, and a seed to plant in your heart that will grow into this knowledge - IT WILL BE OKAY. Take care of yourself, go for a long walk, notice the sounds the birds make.

I don't pretend that this will actually work. I myself own the title "Worrier Queen", so I know you can never truly give it up. But that's what I strive for, and that is my wish for you.

3. A DAY WHERE LITTLE WHITE LIES DON'T TROUBLE YOUR SOUL
"Mom, do you love my stuffed animals as much as you love me?" "Mom, are we almost there?" "Honey, did you remember to mail that thing?" "Yes, I do." "Yes, we are." " Yes I did."

And not a second thought.

4. A DAY WITH ALL THE ANSWERS
"Where do babies come from?" "What makes the rings around Saturn?" "Why is there war?" "What is Heaven like?" "Why does the sign at Taco Time have a cactus and not a taco?"

You will have the answer to all these questions and more dancing on the tip of your tongue.

I didn't say they'd be the right answers. Just go on back to number 3 and ponder that for a second.

5. A DAY WHERE YOU FEEL ALL THE LOVE AND ADORATION SENT YOUR WAY.
Mothers are often too badly tested, too unappreciated, and treated too much like the maid. I wish for you a day when you can see beneath the punk attitude, the forgotten kiss, and the dirty socks on the floor. A day when you remember those heady first days with your newborn, that first smile, those times when you have been their whole world. Those days will pass so quickly, as they will and as they should. But those memories. Those are the things that get us through the rough.
Every day. I wish for you a head and heart full of those sweet memories, and the certain knowledge that under all that other crap beats the heart of a child, your child who loves you madly.

Happy Mother's Day.

5 comments:

Donna said...

Happy Mother's Day Annie!

"Honey, did you remember to mail that thing?"

Got busted with the Mother's Day cards just day before yesterday. Had to spend my hard-won garage sale proceeds to ship three cards out express mail just to assuage the Mighty Hunter. I guess he is justifiably ticked as my mom is 15 miles away and his mom and grandma are a state away and his stepmom is halfway across the country, and I did sort of say I would take care of it....

What a great list! My only addition would be time enough to read a book from start to finish and/or watch all the stuff I have Tivo'ed in the past 3 months that I never have time to watch. And no one would ask me for a glass of milk or where his new Transformer has disappeared to.

And just so Tracey knows, I ate a pack of Backyardigans fruit snacks while reading in bed last night and went to sleep WITHOUT BRUSING MY TEETH! I am one WILD woman living on the edge!

anniemcq said...

It's 6:30 a.m. and I just woke my houseguests from laughing out loud, Donna!

Right back atcha, with the Mother's Day Wishes!

I love your addition to the list, and I totally forgot the whole reason I started the list is because Joe-Henry couldn't find something.

Also, the ability to hold a thought/conversation from beginning to end would be my idea of paradise!

Thanks for the great comment!

Donna said...

Seeing as how you were blogging instead of finding something for Joe Henry, I had to go find my favorite mom thing online:

IF YOU GIVE A MOM A MUFFIN...

If you give a mom a muffin, she'll want a cup of coffee to go with it. She'll pour herself some. Her three-year-old will spill the coffee. She'll wipe it up. Wiping the floor, she will find dirty socks. She'll remember she has to do laundry. When she puts the laundry in the washer, she'll trip over boots and bump into the freezer. Bumping into the freezer will remind her she has to plan supper. She will get out a pound of hamburger. She'll look for her cookbook. (101 Things To Make With A Pound Of Hamburger.) The cookbook is sitting under a pile of mail. She will see the phone bill, which is due tomorrow. She will look for her checkbook. The checkbook is in her purse that is being dumped out by her two-year-old. She'll smell something funny. She'll change the two-year-old. While she is changing the two-year-old the phone will ring. Her five-year-old will answer and hang up. She'll remember that she wants to phone a friend to come for coffee. Thinking of coffee will remind her that she was going to have a cup. She will pour herself some. And chances are, if she has a cup of coffee, her kids will have eaten the muffin that went with it.



by Kathy Fictorie
based on "If you Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff

Kimberly said...

Happy Mother's Day!

I love the gift you sent and accept it with glee. I will put it to use one of those days when I have nothing better to do and no one needs me for something for longer than 5 minutes. I would alter your comment from my SAHM days regarding conversations. I'd wish you adult conversations 3 times a day just to help you keep your sanity. I missed that more than anything because there are only so many one-sided conversations a person can have before going bonkers.

Again, I do hope you had a fantabulous day not just yesterday but all the days of your motherhood.

To me Mother's Day is everyday that there is somebody littler than you (not literally - my oldest is 6'5") that needs you more than you need yourself.

anniemcq said...

Kimberly: I accept YOUR Mother's Day Gift. I'm sure you know a little about the conversation interruptions, and your wish for me to have adult conversation is one of the best things I could hope for.

I received this in an email from a friend I was in Sunday School with from the age of 2 or 3. I thought it was very wise, and wanted to share it with all of you....
"As you know, I'm in the middle of the tempestuous teen-age years with one of
my flock ready to leave the nest soon (graduation is less than a month
away). HOW DID THIS HAPPEN SO QUICKLY?!! Thank heaven, that God in His
infinite wisdom makes this transition a little easier by making these
creatures we call teen-agers really hard to live with!! It's sort of like
that last month of pregnancy when you become so uncomfortable that you don't
care what it takes to get that baby out! I'm ready for B. to go out and
experience the world on her own but I know that I will miss her more than
words can express and I'm really going to need lots of those days free of
worry. The other teen-ager starts driver's ed tomorrow. Man, do I need a
Calgon moment!

All that to say, while I remember the missing toys (now it's I Pods, car
keys and cell phones), mommy guilt when you just need a few minutes to
yourself (I wish my kids were home more now) and endless questions
(appreciate knowing EVERYTHING while it lasts because as far as my kids are
concerned, I know NOTHING!! How did I get this stupid?), new seasons of
mommyhood bring new challenges and thank goodness we have other moms to
support us."

As we used to say at the end of every Sunday School class...

"Amen."

Thanks Jo. I miss you, and I'm so lucky to have a friend that I've known almost my whole life who still likes me!