To all the mothers out there ... whether you are a mother, a grandmother, a great-grandmother, an expectant mother, and mother-in-law, or not a mother yet at all, I hope you all have a very wonderful Mother's Day! This is for you ...
One Flaw in Women
By the time the Lord made woman,
He was into his sixth day of working overtime.
An angel appeared and said,
"Why are you spending so much time on this one?"
And the Lord answered, "Have you seen my spec sheet on her?
She has to be completely washable, but not plastic,
have over 200 moveable parts, all replaceable,
and able to run on diet coke and leftovers,
have a lap that can hold four children at a time,
have a kiss that can cure anything from a scraped knee to a broken heart
- and she will do everything
with only two hands."
The angel was astounded at the requirements.
"Only two hands!? No way!
And that's just on the standard model?
That's too much work for one day.
Wait until tomorrow to finish."
"But I won't," the Lord protested.
"I am so close to finishing this creation that is so close to my own heart.
She already heals herself when she is sick
AND can work 18 hour days."
The angel moved closer and touched the woman.
"But, you have made her so soft, my Lord."
"She is soft," the Lord agreed,
"but I have also made her tough.
You have no idea what she can endure or accomplish."
"Will she be able to think?" asked the angel.
The Lord replied,
"Not only will she be able to think,
she will be able to reason and negotiate."
The angel then noticed something,
and reaching out, touched the woman's cheek.
"Oops, it looks like you have a leak in this model.
I told you that you were trying to put too much into this one."
"That's not a leak,"
the Lord corrected,
"that's a tear!"
"What's the tear for?" the angel asked.
The Lord said, "The tear is her way of expressing her joy,
her sorrow, her pain, her disappointment, her love,
her loneliness, her grief and her pride."
The angel was impressed.
"You are a genius, Lord.
You thought of everything!
Woman is truly amazing."
And she is.
Women have strengths that amaze men.
They bear hardships and they carry burdens,
but they hold happiness,
love and joy.
They smile when they want to scream.
They sing when they want to cry.
They cry when they are happy
and laugh when they are nervous.
They fight for what they believe in.
They stand up to injustice.
They don't take "no" for an answer
when they believe there is a better solution.
They go without so their family can have.
They go to the doctor with a frightened friend.
They love unconditionally.
They cry when their children excel
And cheer when their friends get awards.
They are happy when they hear about
a birth or a wedding.
Their hearts break when a friend dies.
They grieve at the loss of a family member,
yet they are strong when they think there is no strength left.
They know that a hug and a kiss
can heal a broken heart.
Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors.
They'll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you
to show you how much they care about you.
The heart of a woman is what makes the world keep turning.
They bring joy, love and hope.
They have compassion and ideals.
They give moral support to their family and friends.
Women have vital things to say and everything to give.
However, if there Is One Flaw In Women,
It is that They Forget Their Worth.
-Author Unknown
Although I have been receiving cards on this day for the past 7 years from our four-legged "first born," I have certainly enjoyed my first "official" Mother's Day today. It's been a day a day of pajama lounging, a late breakfast, and lots of playtime, snuggles and kisses. I was treated to a wonderful hour long massage yesterday afternoon for Mother's Day (
much-needed), and I got the cutest and sweetest cards from all three of my boys today (including the furry one! :). Last night, Robert and I treated our parents to dinner and then I took my mom and my mother-in-law downtown for a Triad Stage performance of
Steel Magnolias. It has always been one of my favorite movies, and the actors in the play really did the story justice. It's such a wonderful story about the powerful relationships that women share, especially that between mother and daughter. There wasn't a dry eye in the crowd, and as I sat there between my mom and Mary, I felt so very fortunate to have such amazing women in my life to share my journey with. It has been a wonderful weekend, full of immense love.
Mothers are remarkable beings, and being a new mother has really made me appreciate my own mother (
I love you, Mom!) and all the other mothers I know out there, especially my two sisters who are such inspiring women, our dear friend Melissa who cares so genuinely for our Jack, and both of my sisters-in-law who are currently expecting their first children this summer and fall. To all of you ... please know how much you are appreciated and loved, and please ....
never, ever forget your worth.
