No Nursing Home for Me

Thought I'd share some of the highlights from Mother's Day.

I was allowed to sleep in this morning. The family woke me around 9am with breakfast in bed--two eggs, two muffins (Lehi Roller Mills raspberry muffins--ooooh YUM!), a banana and a glass of milk. Doesn't leave me with a heck of a lot of points for the day (I try very hard not to use the extra allotment they give me), but it was sooo good. I could taste the love in every bite.

They left me alone to eat but were back soon and all climbed up on the bed. The craziness began as is usually the case when we're all gathered in one place. We decided yesterday that all families are weird in some way or another. Even the most normal family is weird, so I felt some solace in this. Our weirdness is just different from other families' weirdnesses.

As we all sat, laid, rolled, jumped, and fell off the bed, there seemed to be this subtle but continual chorus of, "Dad, can we do presents now?" The response started off as a quiet, "Not right now," but seemed to grow into a more hostile, "NO!" Within fifteen minutes, I found myself with cards and gifts strewn all around me. It was by far the largest Mother's Day haul I had ever encountered. Of the larger gifts were a king size Hershey's bar with almonds from D and the movie "Sense and Sensibility" from everyone. Mixed in were some real treasures.

A drew me a picture of himself, Z, T and me. He had written his name--first and last--at the top.

B colored me a picture of butterflies mounted on orange construction paper. He also handed me a gift bag. As it sat there rubbing against my leg waiting to be opened, I started to feel some cold, wetness on my hip. As I quietly made this fact known, B jumped up, grabbed the bag and yelled, "Ah snap!" We all bust out laughing. In it was an orange marigold in a yellow, plastic cup. He had grown it himself.

Just in case anyone was wondering...I "completely rock," or so the handmade family card said.

Each kid made me coupons. What would Mother's Day be without those? In them I was promised such things as massages, manicures, diaper changings for T (or in B's case, "dipper" changing--I didn't know T had a dipper, but if he does, I definitely want it changed), various household chores being done (some even said "without complaining"--an extra bonus). After I had read these, every time I asked someone to do something, G would laughingly chime in with, "Got a coupon for that?" I finally asked D to run downstairs and make me a coupon that would grant me permission to pinch G's bottom. She did; even without a coupon.

D wrote me a poem on beautiful paper she created:

Julie

loving, cool, funny, helpful

Mother of Q, G, D, B, A, Maggie and T (we all got a laugh out of the fact that Maggie trumped T, but D said Maggie was older than T)

Lover of animals, her kids, my dad

Who feels excited when her kids get good grades,

excited when her kids are kind to each other,

happy when we work together

Who needs a family, some friends, and lots of love

Who gives love, hugs and kisses, and presents

Who fears the dentist, bugs, and dogs licking her face

Who would like to see her friend Heather, her kids happy, and a BIG box of chocolate

Hess

B wrote this (At the top of the page in blue marker, is scrawled "Do not cry"):

My mother is special because...

She helps me with my homework. Buys me new clothes when I grow out of them. She takes care of me and my fmaily. When I am sick she stays home with me and my dog Maggie. When I am hurt she helps me and asks if I'm okay. She makes me a list of stuff to do after school. She lets me make oatmeal by myself. When me and the kids in my family go to sleep over at a friend's house she lets someone pick what house. When she comes back she brings us a t-shirt. I love my mom because she makes me food and my family. She lets me play on her computer at home. She washes my clothes. I love my mom because she is special.

D also made me a card on notebook paper folded in half with "Happy Mothers Day Mom!" written in bubble letters on the front. Inside, it says, "Hey mom. Have you guess what the big surprise from me is? If you haven't hurry! Love, DJ P.S. I love you and would never leave you in a nursing home."

Ahhh! Life is good. My future is secure.