Happy Mother's Day!

Hello to all the mom's out there. As I was racing in the Mother's Day race there were groups of cheerers on the route. My friend Sara and I were running together and 6 teens started yelling for us (it was later in the race and we were towards the back...you get the best cheers that way). One of them shouts out, "Are you Mom's?" and we yelled, "Yes!". They started cheering super loud so I yelled, "Are you Kids??" (their mom's were probably in the race), "Yes!", so we cheered for them. Then Sara yells as we pass on by, "We couldn't have done it without you!".

It is such a hard job, parenting. And so great. The toughest job you'll ever love. Payback for all the trouble we caused as kids, and paying it forward for future generations. It is the most life changing thing I have experienced so far, and I am just happy that I have been in a position to work hard at it and do the right thing. I see so many families that have blown it in a big, bad way. I have heard the howls of despair of the abused and abandoned child. The child's deepest question in this situation is, "Why didn't they try harder?", and, "What did I do wrong?". They will never believe someone else's answers, they want their own parents. The kids who are worst off have been both abused and abandoned. Kids seem to be able to recover from either insult, but both together is the ultimate double whammy. Of course those parents don't deserve their kids anyways, but it is a Catch 22, what to do because the kids always want the parents. But you can't make someone be responsible and loving, caring and hard working.

Which is why we should all thank all the responsible and loving people in our lives. They did not have to be that way. And that makes them all the more amazing and inspiring. Of course, no one is perfect, but it is the trying that is really important. The sticking with it, not being too hard on ourselves, and realizing parenting is the hardest job in the world...with the greatest rewards.

I have loved being a mom. I had no idea how amazing it would be, or how hard. Alex is four now so I am pretty used to the job. Early on I realized how much I needed to thank my Mom for all she had done. The millions of little things that make up motherhood. The thankless nature of all those good meals, clean clothes, and nice smelling bathrooms. All the amazing holidays and celebrations. All the times I got patched up and encouraged. How I was guarded and allowed to grow. It's a big job, and I guess that's why Mom's hearts are built with extra room in them. Thanks for everything you've done Mom. Happy Mother's Day to you, and all the other mom's I know!!