I’ve always adored my Mom. Sure, there were times over the years when I was a brat and thought she was mean, but I’ve always adored her.
And I’ve always, always, always felt loved and adored in return.
I remember always wanting more of my Mom. I couldn’t wait for her to pick me up from daycare. I couldn’t wait for her to finally rescue me from the evil throes of Danny Cunningham who tortured me at the babysitter’s. One particular horrid afternoon, after Danny shoved me down a slide face first and knocked my four front teeth out, I remember sitting on my sitter’s hot concrete driveway with a washcloth in my mouth waiting and waiting for her to get there.
My Mom was a working Mom. For most of my life, she was a single working Mom. In second or third grade, she took the day off and went on our field trip to Greenfield Village. It poured and poured and poured. It still to this day is one of my favorite days. I was so proud to have her there with me. My sister and I would come home from school, do our homework, play and get dinner started and then Mom would be home. I couldn’t wait for her to come home.
My Mom wasn’t an exciting Mom. We weren’t constantly doing crafts or baking or doing super fun things together. We would talk, read, watch TV and just hang out. We were just together. And I loved being with her. Always. Over the weekend, on Mother’s Day, I was pondering motherhood and my relationship with my Mom when it hit me.
A few weeks ago, I came across this quote from Toni Morrison: Do your eyes light up when your child enters the room? For the last few weeks, I’ve been thinking about this in terms of me as the mother. Yes, my eyes light up when my kids enter the room. When I get them off the bus. When I wake them up. When I tuck them in. When they ask me questions. Yes, I can honestly say, my eyes do light up.
Today, on Mother’s Day, it hit me. This is what made my Mom such a wonderful Mom. It wasn’t what we did, or how she did it, it was that I knew I was loved. Her eyes lit up. When she picked me up from daycare, when we came to breakfast in the morning, when she picked me up from a weekend at Dad’s. And guess what? Her eyes still light up when she sees me. I noticed that today. And her eyes light up for my kids too. She always says she doesn’t know why the kids like to come over to her house so much because they don’t do anything special. Now I can pinpoint it for her.
Your eyes light up, Mom.
I hope I tell you enough how much I love you. And I hope my eyes light up for you too.
Happy Mother’s Day.
Elastamom's Excerpts 
Sniff. Sniff.. So sweet. Happy Mother’s Day to you! You are a truly amazing Mother :o)
Thanks, Cyd!!! Happy Mom’s Day to you too! Have a great day!!Tiffanywww.elastamom.com
beautifully said. 🙂
Thanks, Laurie! Have a great day!!Tiffanywww.elastamom.com
Thank you (even though you made my eyes water which you know I don’t like to do 🙂 Love you to smithereens! And yes, your eyes do light up also when you see your kids 🙂
Love you, Mom!! Have a great day!!Tiffanywww.elastamom.com
I loved this! Beautiful.
Thanks, Kitch! Have a great day!!Tiffanywww.elastamom.com
This is beautiful. My mom was/is that kind of mother/grandmother too. My kids love being at her house even though she basically cleans and cooks around them and lets them have the run of her house. Her eyes light up when they walk into the room and they see that.
Lovely sentiment, Tiffany. Lighting up – perfect capture!
Such a great way of putting it!! I tried all day to make my eyes light up when Nick walked in the room since I don’t have kids yet, and just a few minutes ago he turned to me and said, “You are so cute today! I don’t know what it is!” So, thanks 🙂
Yeah! It works for fiances too!!! 🙂 Have a great day!!Tiffanywww.elastamom.com
Many of your posts really stick with me. This is one of them. I’ve been thinking about it ever since I read it, and its relieved so much pressure. I don’t have the energy right now to do the “fun” stuff, but I am able to be present and light up for my son. I’ve been concentrating on that and I feel so much better about my mothering. Just wanted to let you know how this impacted me : )
Thanks, Jo Lynn! What a nice compliment! Have a great day!!Tiffanywww.elastamom.com
This was beautiful and so true, love is the most important gift we can give.