An Ode to Mother's

Sadly I almost forgot that this weekend is Mother's Day. So instead of writing about the follow up to finding "Clarity" on the trampoline (and believe me,....do I have a whopper of a story to that one), I knew I had to write about the most endearing creature to walk the earth. MOMS.

Now before I pay such tribute to moms , please know that there are many fathers out there who have had to take a mothers place for untimely reasons, and I hold them in the very highest of regards, because being a mom, is truly the hardest job there is. But that post will come for Father's Day.

Back to "the mom".

There have been millions of words to describe a mother's love through the years. All you have to do is walk into a card store a month before the date and your swallowed up in sappy mush. But have you ever really thought about the actions of a mother?

The mother carries a life within her, enduring all the joys and discomforts a growing baby offers. Although there may be moments of weakness she stays in motion, desperate to see the face that she had been dreaming of for a lifetime. For 9 months she sacrifices so many of her own needs, knowing full well that the sacrifices, are lifelong.

The joyful day arrives when that life is brought into the world. The pain that had consumed her body, fades in seconds as she holds her child for the first time.

Days,..... months,.... even years pass and the mom, fixes the lunches, mends holes in the clothes & the hearts of a hurt child. Simple kisses can miraculously erase wounds from the playground bully. Closet monsters are destroyed by a simple spray bottle filled with magic potion, (otherwise known as water). Mothers even have strength of a million men should anyone try to harm her child. And the best part of all,.....mothers have intuition. It is a gift unlike any other. The ability to be so connected to her child, that she knows,.......even if her child is grown,......she knows, she feels,............when something isn't right. And she'll call you on it every time.

That's a mom. Brilliant, inventive, loving, captivating,..........there just aren't enough adjectives, or enough room on this page,....or enough time in our lives to express how glorious mothers are.

Sure, moms aren't perfect,......we'll be the first to admit it. How often we let our children down,...how we could be spending more time with them,.....we "shoulda did this" or "coulda done that",....we'll beat ourselves until our last breath, knowing that we could have loved our children more.

And isn't that just like a Mom?

Only when we as children grow to experience our own children, do we have any concept of what "mom" has done for us.

This week,.....honor your mom. In life or in death; emulate the values, the gifts, the joy, the love, the humility, and the grace..... that ONLY a mother could with your own family. You don't however, have to have children or physically be a "mom" to honor her in these acts. You do it, in your everyday events. And by all means honor, respect, love......on the one day that's set aside, just for her!

With all my heart & soul...........

I LOVE YOU MOM!

Have an intimate day!

Jennifer

Valentine's Day Ideas

Valentine's Day is FAST approaching & it's time to start thinking of ways to show your loved one's how much they mean to you! For some people this may be more of a hassle than a warm fuzzy event, but no fear,.... hopefully this weeks post will help generate the LOVE BUG inside of you!

Let's address the love-challenged individuals first:

Men OR women out there who have difficulty finding creative Valentine's Day ideas may simply want to ASK their beloved what they would like. It may be dinner & a movie; a quiet night at home; or maybe just alone time for a mom or dad that's a stay at home parent. What ever it is, you can take that idea as a baseline, build on that idea, thus making it unique & special.

If you have been with your beloved for decades & think you've "been there done that" Valentine's Day idea to death, purge your memory a bit and think about when you first started the relationship with your partner. Ask yourself, what did he/she like then that I haven't acknowledged in years. Was there a favorite song, favorite place you went to eat, a place where you two would escape from the rest of the world just to bask in each others glory? Keep in mind, great Valentines Day moments don't have to be expensive, or cost anything for that matter. It really is all about what's in your heart.

Now if your being pummeled by your kids on buying Valentines Day cards for the friends, step out of the box this year & push convenience aside. Make a point to spend quality time (which is the real the gift), creating Valentine's Day cards or crafts for handing out. Not only will it make your kids popular with their friends (because it's special & unique), it will most certainly make you wildly popular with your kids, and what better self-esteem booster is that?

I found a great site for creating Valentine's Day crafts & cards for your kids. Check out Fun 4 the Children

So what about those out there who don't have kids or aren't "attached"? No need to get all bummed out over this holiday. Do remember that there is at least one person in your life that would appreciate an act of reassurance that they mean something to you. A parent, a friend, and above all else,......YOURSELF! There is NO rule or law written that states you can't do something nice for yourself! So don't make excuses for Valentine's Day. Do something for yourself that you've been putting off or always dreamed of doing. It's OK,....give yourself guiltless permission!

So no matter how challenged you may be at finding creative ways to show your love for someone special, remember this:

It's THREE WORDS
It's an unconscious touch
It's an act of appreciation

And it doesn't cost a thing!

Post your Valentine's Day ideas or some of the most memorable Valentine's moments you've had. Who knows, someone may take your idea and make someone else very happy! Just another way to spread the LOVE!


Have an Intimate Day!

All my LOVE!

Jennifer