M - O - T - H - E - R

"M" is for the million things she gave me,
"O" means only that she's growing old,
"T" is for the tears she shed to save me,
"H" is for her heart of purest gold;
"E" is for her eyes, with love-light shining,
"R" means right, and right she'll always be,
Put them all together, they spell "MOTHER,"
A word that means the world to me.

Howard Johnson (c. 1915)

My mom sacrificed her teaching career to stay at home with my sister and I. She was always home after school when we came home. She always created a beautiful home and had delicious food on the table. She grew fresh vegetables in her garden every summer so we could eat the delicious bounty. She made me take piano. She taught me to expect excellence in myself. She taught me respect, and looking out for the interests of others. She let me be creative and make up stories which she always said were great and oohed and aahed over my horrible drawings. She taught me to love God. She took care of me when I was sick getting me crackers and had me drink lots of water. She always gave lots of hugs and kisses.She worried over me and prayed over me. It was a hard time being my mom, from my crying all night as a baby and my diapers, my stubbornness, kindergarten to college, the long hours of love and care. But she always did her best to be a wonderful mom.

"I looked on child-rearing not only as a work of love and duty but as a profession that was fully as interesting and challenging as any honorable profession in the world and one that demanded the best that I could bring it."

-- Rose Kennedy

"We were gentle among you,
like a mother caring for
her little children."
~~1 Thessalonians 2:7~~

What Rules The World

They say that man is mighty;
He governs the land and sea,
He wields a might scepter
O'er lesser powers that be.
But a mightier power and stronger
Man from his throne has hurled,
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world."

-- William Ross Wallace.

Mom Phrases:

That's not ladylike.

What if everyone jumped off a cliff? Would you do it, too?

You're going to put your eye out with that thing!

How many times do I have to tell you...

Close the door behind you -- were you born in a barn? Variation: Do you think we own the electric company? variation: Are you trying to let all the cold air out?

Don't put that in your mouth, you don't know where it's been.

Why? Because I said so, that's why?

Don't use that tone with me!

Eat your vegetables, they're good for you

Did you wash your hands?

I don't care what "everyone" is doing, I care what you are doing!

If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.

If anything is worth doing it's worth doing well.

I hope someday you have children just like you.

Don't talk with your mouth full!

Better safe than sorry.

Sit like a lady!

I'm not just talking to hear myself.

I'm going to give you until the count of three.

Put that down! You don't know where it's been!

If you swallow a watermelon seed, a watermelon will grow in your stomach.

And last but not least, my personal favorite:

I LOVE YOU!

Here are some links I thought you might like mom:

Amazon.Com An online bookstore
Arts and Letters Daily
Epicurious Food and Travel
Home Arts Women's Magazines like Good Housekeeping and Redbook
Old Farmer's Almanac
Sierra Gardening
The Garden Spot
D Marie Scrapbooking Site
Kitchen Link
Laine's Letters
Room by Room
Housenet
Gateway to joy Daily Program

"God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothers."
-- Jewish proverb

"I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life."
-- Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)

Thanks you for raising me, Mom. I love you very much.

Love,

Beth