Dare I say it?

I have a dilemma. You may have had a similar experience. You run into the store to pick out a card, easy task right? Then you spend the next hour reading every card in the store and just nothing will do.

Here is my issue. What is the appropriate card-message for my 96 1/2 year old mother? Not just any message applies. "Take your day off!" No. "You've worked so hard for me!" Or "Now that we're friends!" There is always the mushy-syrupy-sweet sentiments, "You are the epitome of motherhood and you will be a saint forever for raising me!" Mom has received that one for at least 60 years X 9. Yes 9. I have 6 sisters and 2 brothers. 9 of us.

So you see, my mother IS the saint of the Mother's Day card message. She IS the one that reared 9 really good people. She nurtured us X 9. She plowed through the teen years X 9. She helped educate us X 9. She saw us wedded X 9.

When I reminisce about raising my own 3 (sounds measly, doesn't it?) funny stories are evoked. The stories are my family's lore. 1. Stept throat and screaming son story. 2. Vomit in the church on Christmas Eve story 3. Daughter's first chicken pox covered with a band-aid story 4. Arriving one minute late to pick up my children from school (thanks a lot Nintendo!) 5. Almost missing the football bus story 6. Daughter telling her granddaddy she bet he couldn't cough and poot at the same time 7. College son vomiting everywhere, even in his brother's shoes...

And I am awed because I know my mother did so very much more than I can imagine. She rocked it. And. There is always the feeling that I can never measure up to her lofty height ( I say this tongue in cheek because she is also the incredible shrinking women at 96 1/2).

I here and now apologize to my mom for hiding under the back steps when I didn't want to take a bath. I am sorry I wet my pants and you had to bring me dry ones to school. I apologize for being the know-it-all teenager. I apologize for going to the White Horse on that Earth Day back in '73. I apologize for scaring the wits out of her when I decided to marry after dating only a short time (but I would do that one again - because it was right and has lasted 40 years.) I am just sorry I scared her.

Here are some possible suggestions to card makers for this occasion:

1. Happy Mother's Day - I love you!
2. I know one day I am going to miss you. So let's enjoy today. Happy Mother's Day.
3. Enjoy Mother's Day, again!
4. You have been my best Mom all my life. I love you. Happy Mother's Day.


I mean really? 96 1/2?!!!!