Is Mother's Day Over Yet?

Not to complain (who, me???) but I don't have very positive feelings about Mother's Day. Not because of any deep Freudian reasons or problems with my own lovely mother but more because the bleeping Army has pretty much ruined it for me. My first MD was in 2005. Ryan was home, I was newly pregnant with Ainsley but Ryan was also graduating that weekend with his PhD so I got a little overshadowed. (waah, waah). In 2006 Ryan was in Iraq and I had a 21 month old and a 4 month old so it totally sucked. In 2007 Ryan was home and we were on a cruise in Alaska. Ok, so that one was pretty good. In fact, I came home from that cruise with Reid. Is that TMI? Sorry. In 2008 Ryan made it home on Mother's Day Eve so that was nice to have him home but he was very jet-lagged and I was kinda cranky. In 2009 Ryan was gone. In 2010 Ryan is gone. Do you see a theme here.

I have to say that my wonderful husband does everything he can to make my day nice when he can't be here. I get presents, there are always flowers delivered . . . the problem is the dang kids. Do you see my dilemma? Someone actually commented to me one time that they had thought about offering to babysit for me on Mother's Day but then they realized that of course I'd want to be with them on Mother's Day. Um (cough, cough) yes, of course I would! What kind of mother would want to be away from her offspring on Mother's Day!?!

Me, to be perfectly honest. I love my children. They bring me so much joy an happiness but they also plain wear me out and Sundays can be particularly difficult. I had a breakdown this morning trying to get us all out of the door for church on time and I might have said a naughty word when I dropped some ice on the floor (the horror!). Thankfully Jane Dare was the only one who heard it and she promised not to repeat it.

But what would really make a great Mother's Day would be to sleep in, have my children calmly shower me with cards and gifts while I eat breakfast in bed and then for them to *poof* disappear for 5, 6, 7 hours. And then I can see them again at dinnertime and treasure these little darlings that I've given life too.

Ryan, are you listening?