She'll probably make sure you've already had one first.
Once you assure her that you have, she'll smile and go to the fridge to get some milk to have with it.
But when she opens the fridge, she might notice that there are no more eggs.
When she notices there are no more eggs, she'll most likely throw on whatever shoes are closest to her and head to the store.
When she gets to the store she'll fill her cart in no time.
She'll grab her husband's favorite protein mix, her son's favorite cereal, her daughter's favorite yogurt and a new toy for their dog.
She'll probably run into a neighbor or some friends and take the time to ask them about their day.
When they tell her about their day, she'll probably ask if there is anything she can do for them.
When they smile warmly and thank her for her generosity, but tell her not to worry, she will probably, no, definitely already have a list of 14 things in mind that she could do for them.
While waiting in line to pay, she'll offer to cover the $6 the lady in front of her is short for her groceries.
Once she pays and goes back to her car, she'll notice... she forgot the eggs.
On her way home, she will most likely stop at someone's house, just to remind them that they are loved and cared for.
When they tell her of their struggles in life, she'll want to buy them flowers to brighten their day.
So she does.
The flowers will make her think of her own garden and the weeding that needs to be done.
So she'll go home, unload the groceries, then start with the front yard.
Once she's done weeding, she'll decide the lawn could use a mow.
Probably the backyard too.
And that bush doesn't look good there anymore. It should go.
Once done with her outdoor extravaganzas, she'll want to take a shower.
So she'll go to the laundry room to take off her dirty shoes and she'll see the stack of clothes that need to be washed.
And so she'll start a load.
That will remind her of her daughter's costume she is supposed to make for her school play.
So she'll grab her sewing machine and her fabric and go to town.
One entirely homemade princess dress later, she'll want to call her sister to tell her about it.
They'll catch up and laugh, and a couple minutes will quickly turn into an hour.
At the end of that hour, her kids will come running in from the school bus to show her all the things they did that day.
Then, being kids. They'll want a snack.
They'll ask for a peanut butter sandwich and some milk.
So she'll grab the bread and the peanut butter, a knife and three plates.
She'll make them each a sandwich, pour each of them a glass of milk.
And chances are, once she takes a sip of her own milk...
She's gonna want that brownie to go with it.
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie was one of my favorite books when I was younger. I still remember all of the wild tangents that stinkin' mouse went on before finally eating that stupid cookie! And so, in honor of my own mother's birthday today, I decided to change the story a bit... Now, instead of the protagonist being a scatter-brained mouse that can't seem to figure out what he wants in the day, no less, in life, it is now a self-less mother who dedicates every waking moment to nurturing, caring for, and loving those around her. In fact, she becomes so outwardly absorbed in those around her that she completely spaces on her brownie! Yep, this novel will go down in history with the rest of the classics.
But in all seriousness, while the greater intent of this post is to be a happy birthday tribute to my own mother (she who, in my eyes, embodies the entirety of the sacred word 'mother'), it serves also as a salute to mothers everywhere. From mormon moms of 12 to empty nesters to women who, though perhaps lacking children, still possess and live to develop motherly qualities.
I am also convinced that we never stop needing our mothers. As infants, we depend on them to feed us, change us, bathe us, put us to sleep. We then need their hands to support us and teach us to walk. As toddlers, we need their goofiness, their guidance, and their all-too-often over-extended patience. As a preteen, we need their gentleness, their discipline, we depend on them to introduce us to the first, ever-so small glimpse of 'the world' that middle school provides us. In our daunting teenage years, we need space. And, most of the time, they give it. We also need their encouragement, their unconditional love, their awkward attempts to talk about important things, their rules, their uncontainable shouts at the refs. Yes, we need all of these things. But then what? When we 'grow our wings' and leave the nest, do we still need our mothers as we did for our first 18-some years of life?
My mother once told me, 'I feel like you just don't need me anymore.' At this point in my life, I had graduated high school and had moved on to my first year of college. This statement bothered me more profoundly than any insult, rumor, or injustice I had ever heard in my lifetime. I remember then explaining to my mom that just because I didn't need her in the ways she expected/wanted to be needed, didn't mean I didn't need her at all. Being more grown up, I need her example of love, her courage and her steadiness in the consistent discouragements of life. I need her advice, counsel, guidance and direction when asked for. I need her support in my trials and her celebration in my victories. I need her example of homemaking so that I might one day establish a home for my own children filled with the same love, fun, respect, and kindness that my childhood home was filled with to the brim. And, yes, I need her patient, ever-available ear to listen to my endless rantings about boys.
Perhaps I no longer need her to do my laundry, buy my groceries, or provide a roof over my head, and my needs will most likely continue to change throughout the years, but one thing remains constant and sure:
I will forever need my mother.
So, happy birthday to the woman who bears my burdens, protects me, nurtures me, and loves me to no end. I celebrate the day that she was born, I celebrate her childhood and teenage years that built her and molded her into an amazing woman. I celebrate her meeting my amazing father. I celebrate every decision they have made in their marriage up to this point that has shaped and crafted my own life into the one I currently live and love.
And to the rest of you mothers out there--you are needed, you are appreciated, and you are so very loved.
