My Happy Mothers Day

Mothers Day 2008 is in the can, so to speak, and it was a great one! It started out with me sleeping on the couch...no, John and I didn't have an argument but an argument did happen, with myself. I couldn't sleep so I decided I might do better out on the couch, luckily it is a decision that I have only made a few times in the years I have been married. I am finally sleeping soundly, having had the wall heater buzz me to sleep, I don't know how long I had been that way when this awful sound erupted into my consciousness. Before I knew it, I was standing up, trying to figure out why I was standing up! I heard Johns voice talking and realized it was the phone that had rung, at 5 AM!!!!!!!!!!!!! Then I was terrified, was Matty hurt, was it my mom, was it Johns family???? I had about 2 seconds of standing there in terror, wondering what to do when John opened the bedroom door and called me in there, handing me the phone. Trust me in this next sentence, I didn't cry, but I wanted to. The voice on the other end was Matty, wishing me a Happy Mothers Day all the way from Iraq. I felt such a sense of relief and love that I almost couldn't think! I slid down under the covers and for the next 5 minutes, listened to our son talk, did the lag time wait thing for the phone line, and answered his questions. It felt so very good. I am actually proud of myself for NOT crying, it is always hard to talk when that happens isn't it? I had remembered earlier in the month that Matt didn't call last year from Iraq until Mothers Day, so I had been hoping, but as is my "way" I had forgotten about it, at least at 5 am!!!! I slipped back into sleep, waking up to my sweet husband telling me happy moms day and making us coffee and breakfast (while eating breakfast both Ryan and Kaylee texted me a Happy Mothers Day greeting, Ryan added I love you mommy, to his) and then being instructed to check my email, opening it to find an e-card that John had sent me that brought tears to my eyes it was so very sweet. Right before we were headed out the door for church Aaron came meandering out of his room, shirtless and in his sport shorts, he reached out his arms to me and I climbed in them and received a two armed hug that was at least 2 minutes long, accompanied by "you are the best mom in the world, I love you" that one DID make me cry. For any of you who know this son, you know just how much that means to me and how much it means for him to do it, it literally, is my gift from him and I love it!

After church John, Aaron, Kaylee, Bryce and I all headed out for lunch but before we left Kales and Bryce gave me my card from them, a sweet home made card with the most wonderful sentiments a mom could wish for AND a gift card for Craft Warehouse!!! (which I spent the entirety of later that afternoon!) We went out and had lunch together, went shopping and messed around then headed home. Later that afternoon, Kaylee and I played our new Wii game, Mario Kart, with Aaron and spent most of that time laughing, screaming and messing up. What fun. I even got a text from Jeff, our adopted kid, wishing me a great day.

Later that night after watching a total chick flick, we headed to bed, it was then that I truly absorbed all the wonderfulness of the day. It had flown by so quickly and I wouldn't have spent it any other way. I love our kids so much, I love our family so much, they are just great and we have such a good time together. We were talking about our family this weekend, as we had the great honor of getting to spend the day Saturday with another adopted son, Eric Lawrence (who brought me a card for moms day, one of several he has dropped on me) and going out to Jim and Connies and spending time with all their kids (well not Holly, Nate and Myla) playing games and laughing til we cried! Bryce said to us at one point when John was commenting on how great of a family we have, "it is because the Lord is the center of us" truer words were never spoken, amazing son in law! Thank you Lord, for being the core of our family, for loving us, caring for us and being the One who holds us together.

I love my family so much!