Mother's Day Rant

 Historically speaking, I have not been a fan of Mother's Day.  There is way too much social pressure involved in the day to make it a comfortable day for me. 

For instance, tomorrow at the end of church, after a bunch of talks about how great mothers are, they are going to make all the mothers stand up and wait for some poor kid to hand them their token Mother's Day reward of one begonia.

 You know how stupid I feel standing there, like I am waiting for my yearly payout for hauling my kids to church every week?   If anybody had a clue, what they would   do is pass out a diet Pepsi to all the moms and give them a pass on the rest of church.  Skip all the flowery talks, let the little kids sing a few songs, and then send all the moms home for a little peace and quiet on a Sunday, while everybody else stays at church. Heck, don't even make us show up for church.  The kids can sing another week.  Just deliver the drinks to our door, and let us stay home alone and have a moment's peace while everybody else is at church.   That's it, I'm calling in a suggestion to the bishop right now.  He's probably already bought all those darn begonias though.

Olivia has carried a guilty conscience all year, because last year she refused to get up and sing with the other kids in church.  I told her I didn't care, that she could sing next time, but she felt bad later, and she has promised me that this year she is TOTALLY going to stand up and sing.  So of course, begonia or no, I am TOTALLY going to be there, to watch her sing.  That is the highlight of my Mother's Day right there, and I am quickly running out of Primary kids to sing to me, so I better enjoy it while I have it. 

Olivia also has her bedroom door barricaded and big warning signs posted all around, telling me not to go into her room, because there is a Mother's Day Surprise in there.  That too has already made my day.  She is so excited to give her mom a present.   This is how much she wants to surprise me: I told her she had to clean her room today.  She asked me if I would help her.  I told her no, because according to all the signs, I am not allowed in her room today.  Oh yeah, she said, and ran into her room and closed the door.  She NEVER takes no for an answer when she asks for help in her room We usually have tears and meltdowns when I tell her I can't help.  The day Olivia willingly cleans her room without help is the day she has something BIG in store.

And that is pretty much all I need to have a good Mother's Day- my kids, here and happy, a surprise, and a diet Pepsi. I don't much care for being waited upon hand and foot on the ONE day of the year that everybody feels obligated to do it. I would take being waited upon hand and foot on another day of the year, when it was not a cultural expectation.  I would also take a little more consistent thoughtfulness and help on every other day of the year.  But that is not a discussion for Mother's Day.  I am going to be HAPPY tomorrow, and SURPRISED and GRATEFUL.   Because I really am all those things, especially over my kids.  I have GREAT kids.  And I am happy on any day we all get to spend together.  If it takes a Mother's Day to make that happen, then bring it on.