Mother's Day

This is not the most timely post, but if you are a mother, you understand 🙂

Last Sunday was Mother's Day. This year, the word "mother" had more meaning to me than ever before because I am a mother now. The role my mother played in my life has made me who I am today. She is the strongest woman I know. With her life story, she could write a book if she wanted to. From her days in a small village in Laos and her migration through the refugee camps to come to the United States for a better life, it could be a small novel. She can speak three languages (I count broken English as one),  makes the best Laos ca pun, and has the best advice (although we sometimes butt heads on this). Mom - thank you for everything you've provided me - your love, support, generosity, smiles, hugs, laughs, tears - THANK YOU!! To all the other strong mothers in my life - my grandma, mother-in-law, grandma-in-law, aunts, aunts-in-law, cousins with babies, friends with babies - I love you too!

Reflecting back, I now laugh when I think about my own mother saying, "You'll understand when you have your own kids and are a mother." I'm totally going to say that to my own kids.

What's even funnier is that she can't use that phrase anymore on me. So, she's come up with another one: "You'll understand when you get to my age." Ha.

Last year, Ryan didn't think that I was a "real" mom because I had not had Ansley yet. So, he wouldn't celebrate Mother's Day with me. I told him that a lady at Wal-Mart wished my a happy Mother's Day (because she saw my protruding belly) - and that if a complete stranger recognizes that I'm a mother, he should do.

He asked me point blank, "So how long have you been a mother?" I replied, "Since conceiving this baby." He shook his head and rolled his eyes.

This year, he sort of made up for it. But he killed two birds with one stone. You have to understand, my husband is not very lovey dovey or romantic. I mean, yeah, I get heart shaped food for Valentine's Day - that is pretty sappy. But that's where it ends. In 2012, Mother's Day and our three year anniversary were separated by three days.

I should have known something was up Friday morning when Ryan asked Ansley out loud, "Ansley what did you get momma for Mother's Day?"

When I got to work, the secretary called and said there was a delivery for me at the main office. When I got there, there were three vases there. Two small ones and a huge one.The huge one was mine. And it was from Ansley for Mother's Day.  This was the second time EVER in my life I have ever gotten flowers delivered, it made me smile 🙂 Just had to brag a little bit, because I'm pretty sure this will never happen again. Aren't they pretty?

Ryan should learn a thing or two from Ansley.