Mother’s Day is this Sunday – a day to remember our moms and to thank them for all they do for us and for moms to be grateful for the gift of being a parent. It is a day of cards and flowers and surprise breakfasts prepared by well intended young chefs. It is one of the highest volume days for phone calls as kids away from home call their moms on this special day.

I don’t think we ever reach an age where we don’t need our moms. When we are young they take care of our every need and as we grow up they stick by us, even when we rebel as we strive for independence. We rely on them to teach us, cheer for us, challenge us and love us unconditionally.

There’s something about just knowing that your mom is there that is grounding and secure even as we grow up and become parents ourselves. I gained a whole new appreciation for my own mom once I became one. She knew that I would; probably because she did the same with her mom.

Mom was the person who I would turn to for advice. We shared stories with one another, both good and bad. She understood me when others didn’t and could hear it in my voice when I was keeping a worry from her. We shared laughs together and ran ideas by each other and our relationship became a friendship between two women which I came to treasure each day.

My connection with my mom is unique from every other relationship in my life. She knew me first, she named me and nurtured me into the person I am today. I thank God for gracing my life with two loving and kind parents and this Sunday, I especially thank Him for giving me 46 blessed years with my mom.

This is my first Mother’s Day without my mom, who passed away last summer.

I miss her incredibly every day but even more so this week. My mom and I talked almost every day. It’s taken me months to break the habit of picking up the phone to call her whenever something exciting happens or when I need her advice. Actually my sister and I have developed a new routine where we call with the greeting, “This is a mom call” which has gotten us through this adjustment time.

This week, seeing the Mother’s Day cards and gifts and knowing I can’t buy one for my mom this year, brings clear the point again that she is no longer here on earth with me. I never was one to buy her lots of gifts for this special day but now I don’t even have the choice to and that hits home strongly. Worse yet, I know I won’t be able to call her and have our annual chat about motherhood and all the blessings it brings.

Fortunately (and somehow I think my mom had a hand in arranging the timing of this) I will not have the chance to dwell on that.

Instead I will be busy being proud of my daughter Amanda as she gives me the best Mother’s Day gift ever, the experience of hearing her name announced as she receives her college diploma. She graduates this Sunday and my sister will be there, too.

Thanks, Mom, for still taking care of  me.

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