The Perfect Gift...

Today is Mother's Day and yesterday I watched as the stores were full of shoppers looking for that perfect gift that would somehow express exactly how much you loved Mom....The streets were packed, the malls were worse. I myself after much deliberation trying to think what is that perfect gift that could say it all? What about flowers, jewelry, candy....all of them were terrific and satisfying in their own right but it still seemed a bit lacking.


After thinking about this for a while it suddenly occurred to me that I know what that perfect gift is...for me to my Mom it is us.. her children. She lights up when we are around. She is herself when she can fix you something to eat or just sit and listen as she relives the stories of her parents, family and our history. She is at peace when one by one her kids call or stop by to wish her a happy Mother's day. She is grateful to God to have been a Mother. It is at those moments that you have glimpsed the perfect gift. I am grateful to God for Mom and the gift that she has been to myself and my family. She is more than just a Mom. She is a friend, a shoulder to cry on, a good listener, an example to strive towards and my best friend....Happy Mother's day Mom...love you with all my heart...


I myself can truly say that the best gift God ever gave me was the ability to be a Mom. That was the happiest time in my life. I remember trying to do it all, make meals, laundry, run the kids to events, listen to their papers, help them learn how to be adults....good wives and husbands. It was a selfish pleasure that has touched my heart and if they only knew that they never need to look for that perfect gift...because I already have them.


I know someday it is inevitable that I will sit in a rocking chair with drool coming out of the corner of my mouth, but (oddly enough for me)...a smile. I know people will think I am demented, or lost in another world and they will be right. I will be lost in the moments of motherhood..and reliving that most precious time again and again in my mind.


To watch my children become parents is a humbling experience, many times you want to step in and say let me show a simpler way...let me help you..but instead it is now my job to observe from the sidelines and take pleasure in watching what they have learned be put into practice. I am proud of each and everyone of them and the families they are raising. I am sure as all parents and moms know..your children are the best...and why not they had us for teachers....I love you all and you are my heart and you never have to worry about that perfect gift, you already gave me all that I will ever need....


To Katie, Amy and Billy you are my life and Jono you are my future...Love to you all.....Mom.

Music that touches the soul

When I was younger than I happen to be today...I always wished I could play an instrument...My absolute favorite instrument is the violin. The closest I ever got was the guitar and though I tried and learned some of the chords, I could never master it. I am pretty convinced that musical talent must have skipped our generation.

I was thankful to see it in my children. I sat through many concerts of squeaky violins, brassy saxaphones and children with the hope in their hearts that they would be good....really good. Eventually the squeaks calmed down and the tune appeared, then the melody and before you knew it, the concerts I went to were amazingly professional and I was very proud of every note and the discipline it took to acheive them. I tried very hard to convince them to play the violin but instead we had coronets, drums, saxaphones and a bass. I was sure I would have my own band that could play whenever and your mind could wander to a serene place and the music would just play on. Not so much...now the instruments are gone..the drums long abandoned in the crawl space, the coronet...not sure where that went, the sax is on a permanent vacation to a friend's house that will never return and the bass is back at the rental shop. The only thing that couldn't be returned are the memories of listening to the squeaks turn into harmony, melody and a song that touched your soul.

Well now the grand kids are ready to begin that journey..and so this weekend in a fluke I caught a glimpse of a future star...or at least she believes she is. Here is Brooke doing her rendition of "Old McDonald" and playing her own accompanyment.

Now here is a picture from Easter and all my G kids. They also make a noise that can be music to my ears. It is now in their laughter that I hear the melody, their screams I hear the harmony and when all together they create the symphony that plays always in my head....my little musicians...

Brooke, Me, Andrew, Ava and Alana...Star material...