The Gift of Service

Today I'm thinking about being a mom, 

probably because my firstborn turned 21 yesterday. 

What a difference a few years makes.

I called my mom yesterday and caught her en route delivering
 some strawberry-rhubarb pie and doing some visiting.

One of her stops included our childhood family physician, Dr. Dettman.

He's 96 now, and living in a nursing home.

His memory isn't always clear anymore.

He uses a wheelchair to get around.

 And after all of these years, my mom still goes to visit him.

And take him a slice of her homemade pie.

She was giddy with delight at the thought of their time together.

A retired RN, my mom clearly has the gift of service.

And she doesn't keep it hidden away.

She shares it. Every day.

But you don't have to make pie to make someone's day.

Chelsea at Moments A Day recently posted

9 Acts kindness you can do from your desk.

Visit Love Is The Word for

100 Acts of Kindness.

And Virtues For Life recently posted

100 Ways To Be Kinder.
Jennifer at the Good Long Road is showcasing service in
Awesome Acts of Kindness For Kids 
With a Side Of Gratitude.

Maria Dismondy posted a list of RAKS 
Random Acts Of Kindness here.

Oh, and Jolly Time popcorn is looking for people doing good things;

nominate them at Kernels of Kindness today.

So, in honor of the modeling my mom has done for me,
I'm going to spend the week intentionally looking for ways 
to serve others.
And sharing ways that you can, too.
We'll start by giving this little loaf of bread to 
Joshua's Algebra II teacher.
So Mrs. Morris, if you're reading, breakfast is coming!

Won't this be a fun way to finish out May?
Then, on June 1st, we'll be celebrating 
1000 posts at the Corner.
Let the countdown begin ... 
Five ...  

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Mommy Moments

Happy Mother's Day!

I so enjoyed the last week in my office because I could hear the first graders practicing their song for their moms:

A you're adorable, B you're so beautiful,

C you're a cutie full of charm!

My favorite gifts ever are the homemade ones.

The caring coupons, 

the paper weights, 

the distorted portraits.

K you're so kissable ...

I was even chosen Mother of the Year twice,
when my college kids were seven and eight.

The notes inside these timeless magazine-cover cards are 
beautifully heartfelt and totally bring me to tears.
Where has the time gone?

As I was cleaning out closets yesterday, I couldn't help but wonder if I really need to save all of these treasures. I certainly treasure each and every one. And while I was able to pitch a few things, mostly I just savored the memories of my mommy moments gone by, dusted stuff off, and put it back on the shelf for another day.

I found this, too ... a picture from about fifteen years ago.

My sister Debra scheduled a photo shoot with our daughters

to give as a gift to our mom that year. 

In matching dresses.

Just like mom used to buy for us.

Sometimes our mix-and-match outfits were even reversible!

Click {here} for a Disney tribute to Moms
and {here} for a sweet clip from Wing Clips.

Don't you just love Mother's Day?

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You'll Call Her Mommy

Happy Mother's Day!

I am truly blessed to not only have a wonderful mom 

but to have found many, many surrogate moms 

to enrich my life and help me along the way. 

I'm also incredibly blessed to be a mom to three beautiful children.

When our youngest was about to be born, my friend Rhonda gave me a copy of this poem and I cried like a baby. I thought at the time that it was just because my hormones were all out of whack, but I came across it on video this morning and the tears came again. 

If you're up to it, watch Little Angel {here}.

Since then, I've given it out to many other moms

 and today I share it with you.

**********

Little Angel

Once upon a time, there was a baby ready to be born.

So one day the child asked God, “They tell me you are sending me to earth tomorrow, but how am I going to live there, being so small and helpless?”

God said, “Among the many angels, I chose one for you. She will be waiting for you and she will take care of you.”

The child said, “But tell me, here in Heaven, I don’t do anything else but sing and smile. That’s enough for me to be happy.”

“Your angel will sing for you and will also smile for you every day. And you will feel your angel’s love and be happy.”

“And how am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me, if I don’t know the language that men talk?”

“Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweet words you will ever hear, and with much patience and care, your angel will teach you how to speak.”

“And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?”

“Your angel will place your hands together and will teach you how to pray.”

“I’ve heard that on earth there are bad men.  Who will protect me?”

“Your angel will defend you, even if it means risking her life.”

“But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore.”

“Your angel will always talk about me and will teach you the way for you to come back to me, even though I will always be next to you.”

At that moment, there was much peace in Heaven, but voices from earth could already be heard, and the little child in a hurry asked softly, “Oh, God, if I am about to leave now, please tell me my angel’s name.”

God said, “Your angel’s name is of no importance. You’ll call her mommy.”

**********

 NOTE: The copy that I received did not have an author's name, so if you know who wrote this heartwarming piece, please pass his/her name along so that I can properly credit it.

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