Mother's Day

First of all, I have to post this video because it makes me laugh every time I see it.


Secondly, I have to show off my Mother's Day Haul:

When Ireland gave me this magnet, she apologized for not writing out her full name. I told her that's okay, I know exactly who it's from!

I love it when Liesel does this rainbow effect in her drawings. 

Can you tell we are in full throttle with the house hunt? That would be why my job is to "buy a house." The reason I like to take Liesel to the mall is she's old enough I can still get through my errands quickly while getting one on one time. It's our thing.

Ireland handed this to me a bit rumpled and I mentioned it was a little sad that it was ripped at the top. Undaunted she said, "You know what? WE CAN TAPE IT!"

I'm such a sucker for anything from my kids made with their hands! Ireland made this butterfly in her Sunbeams class.

I've been wanting this calligraphy family tree for years and it arrived just in time for Mother's Day. Sorry for the glare from the wrapping, but I snapped a pic, admired it for just a couple of days, and then carefully packaged it up again. I'm sure it will be one of the first things I hang in our new home. 

Thirdly, I'd like to debunk the myth that Mother's Day makes mothers feel inferior because of all the stories about the perfect, angelic mothers out there. My own mother is absolutely fabulous but it's actually her flaws that make me love her the most. As such, I'd like to honorably mention some of Mom's most endearing peccadilloes.

• Mom loves to converse more than she loves to drive. That combined with my father's penchant for stick shifts has led to some of the more harrowing experiences of my life. The way Mom drives a manual has been dubbed "Pick A Gear" by the family and for good reason. One moment the poor engine would be grinding away at being in 4th gear going 20 mph and the next moment we'd be thrust into the windshield when Mom downshifted into 1st. I have a healthy respect for seat belts. Any well-meaning comment on which gear might be appropriate was met with an exasperated, "Do you wanna get out and WALK?!?!" Don't call that bluff. Mom will make you get out and walk. She dropped me off on the side of a highway once. And I kid you not, I've seen her shift like she was mixing batter in a bowl. 
• Mom has some interesting ideas when it comes to fashion. She believes she has "long gorilla arms". For the record, a perfectly proportioned person's arms will hang so that her wrists hit right at her thighs. Mom is therefore, perfectly proportioned but she insists she has freakishly long arms. I think she just likes her sleeves extra long to cover her wrists but there is no convincing her of that. When shopping with Mom, if she doesn't like something she just gives you a terse, "It's not what I would have chosen." This is code for- there is something horribly wrong with that choice that's so painfully obvious a cursory glance by any sane person would deem it a bad purchase. To this day sometimes I put clothes back just because I can hear her voice in my head. "It's not what I would have chosen!"
• Once upon a time I was horribly embarrassed by the way Mom would constantly dicker with people. Whenever she was told at the fast food drive-thru her order would take a while (because hello, she was ordering for a small army), she would always say, "Well I'm very disappointed, but I'd feel better if you throw in a free cookie!" I'd beg her to stop doing that... out and out asking for free food was just the lowest of the low. And usually someone from my high school was the one dealing with our obnoxiously large order. "Well... do you want the cookie?" Yeah, I wanted the cookie. But I was still embarrassed. Now I dicker ALL THE TIME! Yes, I've even asked for a free cookie.
• Now and again Mom would dance in the kitchen. It was something so uniquely her. She would shuffle and bounce a bit while clicking her tongue (my siblings will know EXACTLY what I'm talking about). It's her own little happy dance.
• I can't remember if Mom had a calling as a chorister or what, but she went through a phase of conducting music while she drove. It was a little odd to see her counting out the beats to Bon Jovie's Livin' on a Prayer which, for the record, is apparently in 4/4 time. Strangers on the street would wave to her because they assumed that was what she was doing. Throw this all in with the Pick A Gear method of driving and well, let's just say I was grateful to make it home.

Who wouldn't love a person like that? Seriously, my mom is the best and the best of her best are the little imperfections. I miss her terribly but I know she is where she needs to be and she is working hard as a missionary to represent the church. Happy Mother's Day Mom!!! Can't wait to see you again.