“Thank you, Mom”

I remember the exact location on 465 when I was driving to work and listening to Chris Fabry Live! on Moody Radio. It was a couple years ago, and Kherington was still an infant. I had turned on the station towards the end of the program, but I caught the topic. It was guarding our children from s*xting, s*xual media and such.  Since it was towards the end of the program, people were calling in asking questions and giving opinions.

One mom called in and was so upset to have recently found her 12-year old son s*xting.  She couldn’t believe it and wanted advice on what to do.

I think I swerved at that point where 465 N turns into 465 E.  I was dumbfounded.

“What? You don’t know what to do?  You don’t know how this happened?!?!?!  Your SON IS 12 YEARS OLD AND HAS A CELL PHONE! TAKE IT AWAY!!!”

Yep. That’s pretty much what I said out loud…in the car…to the radio where no one could hear me.  So I picked up the phone and was literally dialing the station’s number to give my opinion. Honestly. But I couldn’t get myself to do it, and by the time I decided the show was over anyways. Maybe that was God’s timing for me not to call in.

So I started thinking about what I would do in the situation. Now, I could go on about what I think about kids having cell phones (specifically smart phones), but that’s not my point of this blog post.  My sister always had wise words for me before I had a child: “Never judge a parent until you are one yourself.”   Because we are less likely to judge once we’ve gone down the road before.  And it’s so true. My opinions have definitely changed now that it’s MY CHILD who is screaming her head off, hitting and kicking me as I’m 38 weeks pregnant and trying to carry her out of the circus arena.   And the screaming continues outside in the parking lot as families pass by, and I’m standing there crying trying to figure out what to do.

So after I turned off the radio and calmed my emotions down at yelling at no one but the car windshield, I had a sudden urge to call my mom and just say, “Thank you, Mom.”  (*I have to also acknowledge that it’s Mom AND Dad…but in honor of Mother’s Day and the fact that Mom made all the decisions, right Dad? 😉 “

Thank you, Mom, for not giving me a cell phone until I was 16 years old and only allowed to use it for car emergencies while driving.

Thank you, Mom, for giving me a curfew in high school AND college when home, while most my friends had very late curfews or none.

Thank you, Mom, for not allowing Brett and me to ever be alone in a house when dating, unless absolutely unavoidable.

Thank you, Mom, for not letting me wear those in-style shirts, shorts, dresses, bathing suits, even when I would get so mad trying so many clothes on in the dressing room until you approved. Soon enough, I’ll be using our phrase on Kherington: “Nope. It’s too boobacious.” 🙂

Thank you, Mom, for starting your in-home daycare so that you could be home with Laureann and me whenever we were home.

Thank you, Mom, for listening and caring enough when I was crying over a boy to say, “He’s not worth it if he makes you cry.” You were right.

Thank you, Mom, for that one day in the car suggesting, “What about Brett Varvel? He’s cute!”  And my reply was, “No, Mom. We are just friends.”  And now he’s my best friend and could not imagine life without him.

Thank you, Mom, for teaching me how to be a homemaker. I do it all pretty much exactly like you.

Thank you, Mom, for being the most patient person I know, especially after spending a long weekend with you, Kherington, and your 2 grandsons, Carter and Caden. I don’t know how you take all 3 of those kids at once, but you are more patient than me.

Thank you, Mom, for forgiving me in high school when I would make you cry.  Now I look back and see how stupid at times I really was as a teenager and did NOT know everything, while you always knew so much more.

Thank you, Mom, for not trying so hard to be my friend and give in to what I wanted, but only be obedient to God’s Word instead.  And because you did so, we have become the best of friends.

And what’s funny is some of the things that would frustrate me…I now do those things. So many times I think, “Wow. That was my mom!”  I not only look more and more like you, but I am becoming you, and I wouldn’t want to be anyone else.

And now I am a mom of a 2 1/2 year old daughter and a 2 day old son. I know you were not perfect, and neither am I. But I could never have had the confidence of being a mom to these precious children if I never had you as an example to follow.

And now you are the best G’Mama (while my mother-in-law is the best Mimi) to my children, and it is precious to watch you love on them now.

I love you so much Mommy. Happy Mother’s Day.  And again, thank you, Mom.

Read my friend, Megan’s, blog on her perspective on this Mother’s Day.