Newfound Appreciation

I spent the day with 4 boys. I prepared their breakfast, helped get them ready for school, pick them up from school, entertain the one who's too young for school with Wii, food and a trip to the park. I prepared their afternoon snacks, attempt to help them with their homework, made dinner, and washed dishes.

I'm wasted.

I mention all this not to brag about my accomplishments(there's actually not much to brag about...I probably broke more rules and laws than I care to divulge), but to say that mothers all around the world do this every single day, and getting a break is more often than not a luxury.

So whether your children are grown, still growing up, or yet to be born, if you're a mother and you happen to read this, the following is for you:

YOU ARE MY HERO.

It totally baffles me how so many amazing women can do all of this day in and day out, not to mention trying to do this in a culture that takes mothers for granted. My attempt at being a parent for a day has made my appreciation for you grow exponentially. I thank you all for your tremendous love and selfless energy, and apologize for all the unappreciative people out there who thinks that what you do is "easy". And what now seems like a slap in the face is how culture has marginalized "Mother's Day" to be a 24-hour period of time where we get to tell our mothers how important they are to us. Pardon my coarse language, but that's horse shit.

Mothers, you deserve more than flowers, chocolates, neutered hallmark cards and long distance phone calls once a year.

And to my own mother, I can only look back at the pain, torture and patience she embodied while trying to raise us 3 punks, all the while keeping sanity, order and grace within the home.

"Mom, you're truly the best. It is because of your love that I am who I am today, and I owe you absolutely everything."

Love,

Unappreciative Punk-Ass Child #2.