Happy Mother’s Day…

To my mother who was a far better mom than she gives herself credit for. And it’s a little scary how much like her I am. Quote in Saturday’s Globe: “If you want to see if you’ve turned into your mother or not, you should look in your refrigerator.” It is alarming how fanatical I’m becoming about consuming leftovers rather than throwing them away. Though her personal “use by” date is still quite a bit later than mine. I learned my mulching techniques from her, and we both find it an irresistible challenge to dig up large rocks.

To my grandmother for whom I have quite a bit of admiration. Her father died when she was young, she went to work at the age of 16, and she started a family at 18.  That family is still together and quite close.  Meagan interviewed her once for a school project.  Two of my favorite quotes: “Material things didn’t mean much because no one had things.  It wasn’t like today were you see someone with something and want it as well,” and “Once we got a job, we were happy to be working. We didn’t pick and choose our jobs like today. If we had one, we kept it.” She once fell through a second story porch and walked away (a vision my brother will never get out of his head.) She enjoys reading, playing cards, puzzles, her computer, taking her exercise, and her family.

To my mother-in-law who has been having a rough time of it these past couple of years but still manages to tell her grandchildren “Nana will save you.” She has bought countless knickknacks and trinkets for the kids over the years (including safety whistles) – many of them cute, many of them funny, some useful, some not so much (pooping snowmen).  But I think my favorite was the little blue bird that she gave to Nicole inscribed with the words “You are loved.”

To my sisters, my sister-in-law, and my former sister-in-law who each have their own unique parenting style. They are all good mothers as is demonstrated by the fact that all of my nieces and nephews are absolutely wonderful.

And to me, since I have the best three daughters in the whole, entire, wide world.