Inklings of Mother's Day...

My favorite part of Mother's Day...is

not the gifts...

it's what it forces my boys and hubby to do.

Stop...

pause...

think of others..

OK ...well...yeah, think of me...

but others too!

We're already starting to see signs.

And since I don't want to leave anyone out...

I have a quick snapshot of each.

Yesterday after leaving the doctor, of course I popped by Ross.

My youngest walks down the candle aisle and picks up a blue one.

"Mommy...this smells...beautiful!"

"Your right...it does!" Looking down on face that either happy or sad...no inbetween!

We kept walking.

When I got to the checkout with my unauthorized cup towels and bra purchases...

I noticed SOMEONE had put a candle next to my 42D yellow bra.

"Mom, don't look it's a surprise!"

I told the woman to wrap that one quick...I'm not suppose to see it and put it in another bag.

She did and I gave it to him!

Then we left...him with his surprise...

and me with my new Delta Burke!

After school....my middle one often brings a motley crew of people home.

Some girl from next door who got locked out.

His NEW best friend. His other NEW best friend...

but yesterday it was Josh. His NEWEST best friend.

"Mom!" he blasts in the door with his overweight toe-head twin behind!

"Mom! Can Josh hang out?!"

"Yeah, sure"...I in another room so I didn't really answer well."

Then I heard him say in a hushed tone...

"Lets pretend we're going in the garage to find the cat and WORK on our Mother's Day plan."

"MOM!" "We're going in the garage!" Nathan screams!

"OK!" I yell back...

and off they went...working on the plan!

I won't lie...I do worry about his hairbrained plans...but he was so cute!

My oldest, often shows no affection at all. He is a living Mr. Spook.

He's talking on his cell phone in the backyard, after dinner...

and I see him pacing through the window.

"Keep talking" I'm thinking...that way you'll stay out of your brother's hair!

He runs in and says,

"Can Shawn come over Saturday?"

(My oldest is speaking about the only real friend he has...I'm not complaining...I'm grateful!)

"You see his mom is a single mom and dad is talking us shopping Saturday and he has no dad to take him shopping so I thought he can come over so he can come with our dad and if he doesn't have money I have $38 dollars he can share with me."

I waved my hand and didn't answer.

That brought me to tears!

Sometimes we don't know if the effort we put into our children comes back.

I'm always telling them PLEASE THINK OF OTHERS!

I make so many mistakes as a mom, we all do...

but when you get something back...and you know God is letting you know you're doing something right!

That's better than any Mother's day gift that can be bought!

Whatever happens this weekend...

I'll be sitting back, feeling blessed in my Delta Burke...knowing

God has allowed my boys to think of others

AND that includes me too!

Blessings!