It's just true.

I, of course, wanted to write this before Mother's Day, but it is no less true today. My mom is amazing. Unfortunately, she is the most under-appreciated person in my life. The older I get, the more I realize this.

I must have been sort of emotionally ignorant or something, because it took me until I had my own daughter to realize that a mom actually cares what her daughter thinks of her. A lot. It's not like how I discounted the opinions of my younger siblings, because they were just my siblings, and what did they know anyway? And when I realized this I thought of all the times I let my mom down in this regard-- I never told her enough how amazing she was, or how much I love her, or how nothing makes me feel more loved than hugging her.


My mom has the super-power of patience. She put up with a lot. She still does. Her unappreciated yet continual giving to her daughters may be summed up in one phrase: up-dos. She also has the incredible ability to just enjoy. Anything. A moment, a book, a food. Seriously, I don't know anyone who can so thoroughly enjoy a meal like my mom can-- it makes you feel good to see it, even if you weren't the one who cooked it. My mom can sit and talk with me forever and not worry about what she should be doing instead. She will read a hundred books to my kids at bedtime (if she doesn't fall asleep first), or the same one a hundred times and like it as much as they do.


When I was in middle school, I was a brat. My parents didn't have a lot of money, but they let me go on a series of ski trips with the school. For lunch, I wanted money to spend at the lodge. Instead, my mom had the audacity to make me a loaf of homemade bread for a sandwich and this huge thermos of hot chocolate to drink. I whined. The thing I never told her was, I've never had a better peanut butter sandwich. And I know the hot chocolate was about a million times better than the dirty water they sell by the cup-- My friends were jealous. I never thanked her.

Thanks mom. That was an awesome lunch. And thanks, mom, that was a pretty awesome childhood too. Oh, and thanks for putting my kids to bed for me every chance you get.