Mother's Day: A Rant and Tribute All in One

This may not be a very popular thing to say, particularly on Mother’s Day, but I’m going to say it anyway. I hate hallmark holidays. Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Grandparent’s Day, Administrative Professional Day…there’s even a Valentine’s Day wannabe holiday called Sweetest Day. It’s all so contrived; so commercial; so forced. Shouldn’t we celebrate love for others and the respect for all the roles they play in our lives EVERY day? Why, on one day of the calendar year, when roses rise in price by about 300%, should my husband buy them for me to express his undying love?

But I will end my rant about the commercialism of the holiday that’s just days away from luring us to pay a fortune for a mediocre brunch. Instead, I’ll pivot to an aspect of Mother’s Day I can embrace: appreciating my five amazing children and all the chaos that comes with them. Each day with them brings new surprises, challenges, and, most importantly, precious moments that we will cherish forever.

Our oldest daughter, Abigail, has a heart of gold and a spirit that lights up the room. Next is Paige, our creative genius. Then there’s Kaleb, a natural-born athlete with endless energy. And finally, there are Cynthia and Eleanor, who make us laugh non-stop when they feed off each other as only twins can do.

As we celebrate Mother's Day, I am filled with gratitude for the privilege of being a mom to these five amazing children. They are my greatest accomplishment, my source of strength, and my reason for being. I am so incredibly blessed to have them in my life, and I thank the stars every day for choosing me to be their mom. I may not need flowers or breakfast in bed for them to prove their love for me, but I won’t refuse a hot cup of tea. With milk please.

To all the wonderful moms out there, Happy Mother's Day! May your day be filled with love, laughter, and precious moments with your loved ones. Here's to us, the heart and soul of our big, beautiful families...today and every day. Cheers!