I Get It Now

When I was in elementary school, every year, my parents topped our Christmas tree with a toilet paper roll angel I made in Kindergarten.  I remember begging them by the time I was in 5th grade to 'please stop, and just throw it away'. I was mortified that they not only hung on to this sorry excuse for an angel, but displayed it yearly on our tree. 

Now, I totally get it. 

Today, to celebrate Mother's Day, I got a collection of treasures I will cherish-- a magnet with Jackson's thumbprint made into a flower that says in his handwriting "Thumbody Loves You", a poem printed by Matthew's teacher and imprinted with one of his fingerprints, a picture of waterlillies painted by Jackson, and a drawn card from Alyssa with her depiction of her and I on the front-- she's wearing an "I love my mom" tshirt and I'm wearing a "1# Mom" tshirt. 

I understand so well why my parents hung on to that angel and proudly displayed it year after year.  It is the same reason I will hang on to these.   I love these kids with everything that I am, and want to hold on to this time and this place, and am thankful for it all. 

I am grateful for my mom who loves me and my kids like that, for my mother in law who loves my husband and our kids like that, and for all of the amazing women in our lives who love their children and grandchildren and often many other people's children (including us and our children) like that.  Thank you!  Happy Mother's Day to all!

My Mother's Day Treasures.