Happy Mother's Day! Tough Mother's Day.....

Well, the end of Mother's Day is upon us, so I can get ready to do two things:

1) Be glad I finally got around to buying the Mother's Day present for the mother of my children (Rachel got me off the hook by making Mom a card, another card, and several pictures.)

2) Complete my third Mother's Day without being able to pick up the phone and call, well, my Mom.

So, on the one hand, Mother's Day is cool--the kids enjoy it (even if they don't like the idea of Mom getting to plop on the recliner for the evening), and I'm glad to help give credit where credit is due: this house would have been condemned years ago if not for her.

On a totally different thought for a minute....it makes me wonder....had I still been the stay-at-home dad when all this depression crap showed up, would there ever had been another dish washed or towel folded. Ooh, let's forget I pondered that.

Back to the story.....

Rachel's card said Happy Mother's Day from her, Robbie, Dad, Blue (her late fish), Katie Pickles (our very much-alive cat), Mr Crabs and Mrs Crabs (the crabs in her aquarium) and "19 fish". When asked who the "19 fish" were, she replied, "they are all the fish we've had, including the dead ones." And most kids forget 'em two days after they're flushed.....

So, what did we get Mom for Mother's Day? Well, what she asked for, of course, a gift card from Lowe's!!! What? You mean that's not the preferred store of your mom??

You know, (and here's a great segue), the best gift for Mama on this day would also have been a gift card from Lowes. She never met a home improvement store she couldn't board in. Honest; give her some lumber and tools, and she'd make a mini-apartment between the greenery and the appliances and she would have been perfectly happy.

I can't tell you how much time I spent with her at (Lowe's, Builder's Square, HQ, insert name here)...and I only spent a fraction of her total shopping time with her. Most people close bars out; my mom had to be thrown out of HQ an hour after closing. ("But I'm not finished comparing the ceiling fans!!!!")

So, in that sense, Mama lived on today. Guess it was appropriate for me to run into a Lowe's, eh?

If your mom still graces this earth, I pray you at least spoke with her today. And, if for some reason, there's aught between you and her, please, swallow the pride, take the responsibility, and reconnect before it's too late.

Trust me, you'll come back and thank me for the anonymous advice.