Mother's Day 2013

If being a father has made me thankful for one thing, it’s that I’m not a mother. With Mother's Day almost upon us, it's time to pause and honor those brave women among us. Their thanks is little yet their sacrifice is great. So to all the dear mothers out there, here's wishing you a happy day.

Also, you are nuts.

At least that's the only explanation I can come up with to describe why you do what you do. Let's start with pregnancy. If someone said I was going to feel sick to my stomach for months, get swollen feet, gain 30lbs, and then (to put it delicately) get to push a bowling ball out of a gumball machine, I'd want directions to the castle where the evil witch who cursed me was hiding.

But you moms are excited. You have parties and get all glow-ee.

Then you have the bowling ball, and the real fun starts. No sleep, no appreciation (except from your husband because he is awesome and would never take you for granted) and no time for you. A few months or years later, you say, "wow, this is insanely difficult and I never should have become a mother." Not. You say it's totally worth it and you'll do it all over again if you can. Um, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly expecting to get a different result. What's the word for someone who does the same thing knowing full well it's going to be as uncomfortable, challenging, and sucky as the first time? Mom.

Perhaps I’m painting with too broad a brush. I can only base my assessment on my own experience and I know lots of good moms. Yup, good and crazy moms.

And thank goodness you are. You’d have to be crazy to go 15+ years without ever listening to the radio station you want to in the car because the kids like to pick the station.  You’d have to be crazy to handle more bodily waste than a school janitor and still smile when you talk about your kid(s). You’d have to be crazy to get up at the crack of dawn while sick with the flu (or malaria or whatever) to make a school lunch for the kid who always over-jellies his PB&J.

You are crazy. And your kids are blessed.

Kids need the sort of unconditional love and support only a mom can give. You may have lost your marbles, but it was in the process of making sure we had all of ours. So while I’m (oh so) glad that I’m not a mom, I’d have to be crazy not to be thankful I have one. Happy Mother's Day!