Mother's Day...........

.....and it has me thinking of my mother who passed away 42 years ago this coming June. Yes, I miss her still. But what she taught me in the first 20 years of my life has made me into the person I am today. It has influenced all of my decisions one way or another and affected the outcome of my life to this point and will forever.

And it made me stop to realize how lucky I am! My mother's death taught me how precious life is and how soon it can be snuffed out. Because of this, I have learned to accept people for who they are and love them in spite of any faults they may have. Of course this is made easier for me by my offspring picking people to share their life with who have great qualities and are decent and easy to love.

I want to pay tribute to them. First, my daughter Naive-no-more. My first born child, whom I fell immediately in love with and thought that I would never let go. Little did I realize at that time, that the teachings of my mother would affect the way I loved her and raised her to be a totally independent and wonderful person. I learned that although the time comes when you must cut the apron strings and let them go, albeit with bittersweet memories, it is much easier to do so when you love them and want to watch them to continue to grow in a more mature way than they ever could if you didn't 'cut them loose'! And I've found that they never leave you really. At least not in mind and spirit. You will always be connected to each other in a way that you could never imagine! So, Naive-no-more, this is a small token of how much you mean to me and how proud I am of you and how much I love you. And being a mother, I know you can now understand so many things you didn't before you were a 'mom'. You still have the power to make me smile whenever I think of you and you bring me so much joy while allowing me to be a part of your life. I love you! Happy Mother's Day!

And I have another daughter that was acquired through a marriage fourteen years after the death of Naive and her brothers' dad. Although I wasn't there from the start with this little girl, I love her as if I had been. She is grown and a mother of three of her own now. And we also have a special bond. She was not even in kindergarten when she came into my life and captured my heart with her comical ways and delightful smiles. Even though she didn't live in our home with us for more than a year full-time, the week-end visits when she and her brother were small earned them both a special place in my heart. I think my mom's love of all children taught me the concept of allowing me to love a child that didn't grow inside me! I love you, Rachel Happy Mother's Day!

That brings us to Heidi, my son Jeremy's wife. But just to keep the record straight, she was my friend before she ever knew Jeremy! I love you Heidi. You have given me two beautiful and wonderful grand sons. And you have been an added plus to our family these past years. Your kindness to me is so appreciated. You have a piece of my heart forever too. Thank you for joining our corner of the world! Happy Mother's Day to you!

And dear Ame, whom I met on line blogging over a year ago, probably closer to two years ago, has become another daughter through 'hearts' if not by birth! She is a 'single mom' to two beautiful and enchanting little girls, one of which is a special needs kid. Watching Ame deal with this on a daily basis is truly amazing and she makes it look less difficult than it really is. I know, I spent two weeks in her home last fall and I had a wonderful time. Ame has a great laugh, and is a lot of fun. This is one daughter I had absolutely no work while she was growing up and I am reaping the benefits from knowing her. I love you, Ame. Happy Mother's Day!

And there is our son Brian's wife, Vanessa. She brings a different culture to our family and keeps things interesting. She has been a great mother to their three children. She takes such good care of them all, including Brian. I'm glad you joined our family those thirteen years ago this coming June! Happy Mother's Day!

And I can't forget Virginia. She has not officially joined our family yet, but is engaged to our son Doug. They will have a blended family as she has two children and Doug has three and and they are expecting their first baby together in October. She has been so good for Doug. She has stepped up to the plate and taken on the responsibility of helping him raise two of his children. She is a better 'mom' to them than the one they were born too. I will always love her for that. Happy Mother's Day to you, Virginia!

But wait, there there is one more. There is Clew, whom I met through Naive-no-more, and have unofficially adopted her also! She is the mother of one adorable little boy after suffering many 'baby losses' to get to this point! You should see her in action. A very bright and beautiful woman with lots of talent. I love you, too! Happy Mother's Day!