Mother's Day Tribute
I wrote this tribute to my mother for her birthday, which just so happened to land a few weeks prior to Mother's Day, but every sentiment I felt when writing these words can easily be duplicated in honoring her on Mother's Day:
Dearest Mother,
I could write an entire blogpost about all the wonderful things I love about you, ways in which I am grateful for you, and the plethora of ways you are an example to me. I am so grateful that I came into your world 34 years ago and that I had the privilege of being raised by such a beautiful woman! I feel like every GOOD thing I am today is because of you. You taught me how to be fiercely loyal to any cause that I pursue; you taught me how to be proactive in my life—to go after my dreams, to never settle for less, to push myself to always exceed my own expectations. You instilled within me a love of learning and a love of words. You nourished my creative and independent spirit by being the epitome of creativity, artistic ability, and independency.
A few thoughts about this trait of being independent: I can't tell you how grateful I am that through your example you taught me how to survive (either through a hardship—physical or emotional— or a moment of defeat and/or exhaustion), you taught me how to be a leader not a follower, you taught me how to be able to be happy with myself and not have to rely on others for happiness, you taught me how to see a task and be able to execute it. Thank you for never clipping my independent "wings"; I can't you how many times they have saved me, how many times when I have faced a very difficult situation in my life—causing me to doubt the very core of who I am—of being able to muster up enough agility to look behind me and see those wings, reminding me not only that I was born to fly but that I have the gumption and capability (because of my mothers example) to defeat the odds, to soar above the hardships and complexities of life. Thank you for not only seeing who I was as a child, but nourishing and loving that person instead of trying to mold or change me into something you thought was an even better version of myself. I look up to you so much in the way you mothered me. And if I can only get HALF of what you did right in the lives of my two boys, I know that I am going to be damn good mother.
Sometimes I think about what keeps this family of 7 together with all of our different dynamics, dissimilarities, and tainted pasts? But I now know the answer: it's you, our mother. We all came from YOU; every single one of us felt apart of you, was nourished by you, was carried by you for 9 months (give or take) before we took our first breath into this world. Essentially every single one of us took something from you—a different part of you—and that is the bond that keeps us together. YOU are the BEST of all of us. Now raising two little boys I realize how selfless it is to be a mother. YOU raised SEVEN—I now know you gave us EVERYTHING you had, even when you didn't have anything else to give. You always did the best you could, and you did more than you could!
I love you. I am eternally indebted to you. I will forever respect you, honor you, praise your name, and live in gratitude for your life because of all of these encompassing ways that have made you my MOTHER.
HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
And I will now add, Happy Mother's Day!!
I love this video clip displaying all of the teaching moments we have with our children. From the moment they are born, to the moment they take their first step, to the moments they experience life, to the moments they leave our home . . . we are fortunate (some times we feel unfortunate) to be a part of every one of those moments. When the days are long and hard, when the joyful, fulling moments are fleeting, it is important to take a step back and remember that WE allowed them to take a step forward. Isn't that what Motherhood is all about: sacrifice, giving, selflessness, unconditional love? You know I never realized it until adulthood, but I am grateful my mother gave these things to me so that I may have the life experiences I've had. And in my moments of wanting to sacrifice less and be more selfish in my present roll as a mother, I recall all the moments that my mother was less selfish, more loving, more tolerant, patient kind, and my heart swells with so much appreciation—the kind of appreciation I want my boys to feel for me one day. And so on the tired, lonely, hard, exhausting moments of motherhood, I will remember the little feet I gave birth too, the little feet that I helped assist in their first steps, and the big feet that will one day go out into this big world and leave his ever impacting mark upon it.
Me and my boys
My Grandmother Barber
My Mother
History of Mother's Day
The American incarnation of Mother's Day is the result of years of women's activism that coincided with other women's movements -- like women's suffrage and labor movements -- around the turn of the 20th century.
Following her mother's death in 1905, the younger Jarvis began petitioning for a national holiday in celebration of mothers everywhere. She sent letters to President William Taft and former President Theodore Roosevelt, enlisted financial help from Philadelphia department store owner John Wanamaker and organized her own Mother's Day celebration in a Methodist church in Grafton, West Virginia.
In May 1907, Anna Jarvis, a member of a Methodist congregation in Grafton, West Virginia, passed out 500 white carnations in church to commemorate the life of her mother. One year later, the same Methodist church created a special service to honor mothers. Many progressive and liberal Christian organizations -- like the YMCA and the World Sunday School Association -- picked up the cause and lobbied Congress to make Mother's Day a national holiday. And, in 1914, Democratic President Woodrow Wilson made it official and signed Mother's Day into law. Thus began the modern celebration of Mother's Day in the United States.
Poem on Mother's Day
"Here's to the happy ones. Here's to the sad ones.Here's to the tired ones and the get-up-early-and-run ones. Here's to the messy ones. Here's to the control-freak ones. Here's to the perfect ones and the not-so-perfect ones.
Here's to the always-there ones. Here's to the stay-at-home ones. Here's to the big dreaming ones and the everything-will-be-ok ones. Here's to the working ones and the work-from-home ones. Here's to the yelling-cause-I-care ones and the let-me-make-it-better-with-hug
Here's to the enough ones and the I'll-never-be-enough ones. Here's to the creative ones and the nothing-goes-right ones. Here's to the distracted ones.
Here's to good-listening ones. Here's to the ones who spend their days cleaning. Here's to the ones that spend their days playing.
Here's to the asleep-by-nine ones and to the stayed-up-way-too-late ones. Here's to the always-cries-on-Mother's-Day ones. Here's to the won't-be-happy ones.
Here's to the get-up-early ones. Here's to the mid-day-nap ones. Here's to the make-breakfast-lunch-and-dinne
Here's to You. Wonderful, awesome and beautiful you!"
Facebook Posts
You know your a mother when all you wish for Mothers Day is to take a shower and get ready without being interrupted #mothersday#todreamadream #showerinpeace
What a fantastic Mothers Day it was thanks to my wonderful, thoughtful husband @yesmikego and my rambunctious kiddos. My day started off with a hug and a "happy Mothers Day" wish from Mr. Beckahm, followed by this totally rad phone case—NYC art—that I have been eying for 6months, and two awesome cards from the men in my life. At church I received chocolates, some confetti popcorn, and a colored snoopy picture from Beckahm :). Mike made me a yummy lunch, followed by a most relaxing pedicure. We dined on burgers and fries for din din and licked our frozen yogurt sample cups clean for dessert. My night wouldn't be complete without a lick on the face from my crazy cat Mr. Beckahm #ahhhhilovemothersday#pleasecomeagainsoon #spoiledrotten #lovinlife #ifeelspectacular#mothersday #kids #hubby
Without silly, ridiculous moments that make you giggle from your toes and laugh till your belly hurts, life would be meaningless. These by far are my favorite moments #sillyismymiddlename #laughtermakeslifeworthliving#laugh #love #live #mama #boys #mothersday
From Mike:
Happy Mothers Day to the most beautiful and amazing mother in the worldAmanda and to my own amazing mom, Lauri Jo Moncur. The role of a mother is so important. It's the toughest job on the planet and never ends. I've been blessed to have been raised by such an amazing and loving mom. Her example and love Inspire me and influence me every day. To Amanda, you are everything I dreamed a good mother would be. You teach our children, love them, forgive them, inspire them, push them and more. You are an amazing woman. I look up to you and love and appreciate you. Happy Mothers Day!
Funny video we took of Beckahm on the way home from dinner on Mother's Day. The way this kid thinks cracks me up
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