- scout gerber, age 9
did you know this? i didn't, at least not until scout pointed it out to me.
he told me this as he presented me with a homemade card first thing on mother's day. it had MOM written in all caps across the front. he turned it upside down to show me {in case i didn't believe him}. he was so proud of his card, and i was happy to receive it. it's currently hanging by a magnet in our kitchen, but i've decided to bring to work this week and hang at my desk. i could tell he spent a bit of time with it...he drew flowers of every color across the entire bottom. i thanked him and gave him a big squeeze. it's rare my little draws pictures for me anymore, so i will treasure this as it may be my last. finn and c wandered into the kitchen so they too could present me with their cards and a big spring flower bouquet which also filled me with warm fuzzies and made our entire kitchen smell like spring. finn's was a handwritten card with a very thoughtful message. he said he was going to "love me more in my love language", a term we borrowed from the popular book, the five love languages. we've all taken the quiz and are aware of each other's love language so that we can love each other in ways that are truly meaningful to each other. {he even had a p.s. that said i'm going to try to love scout more in his love language too}.
finn reminded me not to eat anything because they were taking me to breakfast. typically they bring me breakfast in bed, but this year, i suggested we try a new cafe that just opened up in our neighborhood. finn seemed relieved not to have to cook, but scout seemed a bit disappointed. he LOVES to bring me breakfast in bed on special occasions, namely mother's day and my birthday, so i felt a little guilty for taking this away from him. i mentioned that breakfast in bed could be a surprise any time of the year. *wink* he said he had never thought of that. if i ever get it, i'll try to remember to come back and write about it. also, along with scout's drawing, the cards and flowers, was a MOM questionnaire from scout.
it's absolutely adorable and though the responses aren't quite as funny as when he was in preschool, they are certainly more thoughtful and a bit more accurate {he still put an extra 5 lbs on me and the brady bunch series is one of his current favorite shows right now}. c and i introduced it to the boys a few weeks ago and he's thoroughly enjoying it. truth be told, we are all enjoying it. it's a fun walk down memory lane for us c and me who grew up watching the show. finn said he's "learning alot about our generation and how we grew up". as i made dinner, i reflected on our day together - the yummy breakfast and our lazy day at the beach watching the boys explore the rocks and catching hermit crabs in the sand. i also thought about being a mom - how so much life has changed since the days pre-kids. i loved those pre-kid days, but am so grateful that i didn't rush into the role of mother shortly after c and i married. we were so young and waiting allowed me {and c} time to grow - as individuals and together before we took on helping another human grow. i had no idea being a mom would be both beautiful and terrifying at the same time, but even on the toughest days, i wouldn't trade it for the world. i don't think many mothers would. i also thought about the relationships i have with all the mothers in my life - how essential they are. i will be forever grateful for all of them - my mother-in-laws who are fierce and fabulous woman. they share, guide, listen, console and celebrate with me. barby or 'GG' has been there from my newlywed days, visited me at the hospital when finn was born and is still there now as i mother a teenage son. for sheila who keeps the gerber family connected so well and who shares so much about her journey as a mother. last, i am grateful for my own mother who is a beacon in my life - always there, shining brightly and guiding me. she spent years of her life teaching and providing her children with a compass so we can navigate through life more easily. maybe even more importantly, she laid out a roadmap for us to follow by how she has lived her life with my father.
happy mother's day to all mother's everywhere!
xo
