Mother's Day

My Mother's Day was beautiful even though Craig had left for Peru the day before.  It's no secret that Mother's Day isn't Craig's favorite holiday.  It's NOT because he doesn't love his mom or even that he has to take extra time to make it special for me ... it's because very often it falls on his birthday and steals his thunder. lol.  The last time it fell on his birthday he announced that he was not celebrating it that year in protest and then he got god smacked for his poor judgement.  He got asked to speak at church on Mother's Day/ His birthday on the topic of Mothers.  I loved it.  He totally deserved it and it makes me laugh to this day thinking about it.  Even though he was gone this year he still made me feel loved and appreciated with a funny card, flowers, and chocolate the night before he left.

The kids made my day VERY special.  They were SO excited to give me the gifts that they had made in school (thank you teachers for remembering us moms).  Brooke had made me a beautiful bookmark that she had painted purple and decorated with glitter.  Jace had painted me a flower pot that also came with a bag of soil, flower seeds, and a paper flower he made that had a picture of himself in the middle. We talked about how they could behave at church and how that would be the best mother's day present of all.  I was a little nervous about taking all three of them by myself.  I wrote out a social story for Jace with a few pictures.  Sometimes he does better if I enforce what I have said with something that he can read and visualize.  They did wonderfully.  I was so proud.  After sacrament meeting the kids went to primary class and sharing time.  One thing that I really love about Oakwood ward is that they make a big deal of Mother's Day.  They don't just have all the women stand up after sacrament meeting and collect a chocolate or potted flower.  During Relief Society they invite us into the cultural hall where they have decorated tables into different themes.  They really pamper us with all sorts of treats: trays of mixed fruit, a chocolate fountain, cheesecake, chocolate cake, white cake, and carrot cake.   Then they present a short program with the children singing and the men telling us how important we are in their lives.  It's awesome.  It really does make me feel loved.  The guys are always excited to show us into that room too.  I think it's fun for them too.

After church a good friend of mine invited us over to their house for dinner since they knew that Craig was gone.  What a thoughtful thing to do.  We really enjoyed ourselves.  I especially enjoyed the fact that I didn't have to make dinner.

I got to skype with my sweetheart and have him send me love from afar.  My Mother's day was fantastic.