mummy's day

I have always been a Mommy's Girl (sorry, Dad! :)). My mum has always been there for me, through everything - the thick, the thin, the good, the bad and the ugly. When I was bullied in school she was my only friend, the one I would turn to with my questions of "why?" and "what did I do wrong?". Those are tough questions coming from a 9-year old. My mum was my comfort and safety from the world and was always there when I was sick.We were perhaps too close, because we tend to get sympathy symptoms for each other when the other is going through something tough. It's a little better now that we're living apart and older, but I still get those hot flashes, Muther! ;)My mum taught me to be kind and compassionate and to always think of others first. Of course now, we're both learning that once in a while  a person does need to think of themselves or they will begin to lose themselves. My mum is slowly learning that now and I like to think I'm helping guide her on that journey - because after all these years of doing for others, I think she of all people, deserves to do for herself now. She's raised two wonderful daughters (me being the best of the two, of course. Heh.), she has taken care of her parents for such a long time in the best way anyone could. Though my mother retired last May, her freedom from work and having to live every day for others was cut a little short when my grandfather passed away. Dealing with all that aftermath of a death in the family and then having to take extra care of my grandmother, who at 90 was suddenly on her own for the first time ever, my mother found herself in yet another full-time job. Not one of mother, or employee, but one of Full-Time Daughter and caretaker of her own mother.She gives her all because that is who she is. She gives too much sometimes and I worry she'll fall apart and so I try to get that net ready to catch her because she needs to have a safe place to fall back on if she needs it. Losing both parents in less than a year is not an easy thing, but I feel hopeful that now my mother will start to learn to think about herself for a while. Look after herself for the better. My sister and I are doing great on our own, she doesn't have to be a full-time mother, daughter or employee now. Full-time wife, ok, but my Dad's pretty great at being on his own as well. ;) She can just send him wandering off with his camera with a quick exclamation of "Oo! Look! There's a flower over there!" *point* and then when my father rushes off to capture that floral object digitally my mother can scurry off in the other direction and go on a bike ride, or read a book, or even better yet - take a NAP!At any rate, it'll be Her Time. Mummy Time.I love my mum incredibly and am the person I am today because of so many of the things she taught me when I was a child and she was home to raise us. She only went back to work in my final year of high school. Not many people have the luxury to have a stay-at-home mum much these days and I think my sister and I were very lucky to have had that opportunity. I always knew she would be there when I needed her - and all the times she's had to pick me up sick from school, or drive me to the hospital in the middle of the  night. My mother has always been there for me and my sister and for others.So today, this mother's day, I hope you're having the kind of day that you want to have, Mummy. You deserve it. Thank you for everything, I love you. (more than CAKE even! And roast beef! As long as they are made by you, of course... so more than THAT! That's a whole lotta love you know!)