Mother, Mother If I was Your Mother

May 9 was my oldest DS’s birthday. Happy Birthday! This year it was also Mother’s Day. When Mother’s Day was named, the location of the apostrophe was specific. It was to be a singular possessive for each family to honor ‘their’ mother. It wasn’t meant to be a plural possessive to celebrate all mothers. The first Mother's Day observance was a church service in 1908. Anna Jarvis, a lady from Philadelphia, wanted to honor her deceased mother. When she was young she heard her mother express hope that a day to commemorate mothers could be established. Many days were dedicated to honor men but none were in place to honor mothers. After her mother's death, Jarvis and some of her friends started writing letters to declare a national Mother's Day observance. President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation on May 9, 1914, asking all Americans to give a demonstration of respect to mothers through the celebration of Mother's Day. Legislation was passed designating the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day. Carnations are said to represent the day. As with most holidays it’s turned commercial which wasn’t the intent. I hope you remember the reason and took the time to honor your mother, whether it was a phone call or a visit or just a note. And I hope your family honored you.

Before you can be honored for Mother’s Day you have to be a mother. I am fortunate to be a mother to three wonderful kids. I don’t guess I can call them kids now because all three are grown, somewhat responsible adults. But they will always be my babies, my kids.

DH and I somehow had very smart kids. All three were valedictorian of their class. My DD was number one in her class but married and moved to Virginia the summer between her junior and senior year. Number two in her class was very relieved as he most likely could not have caught up, much less passed her in rank. So I think it’s fair that I count her as valedictorian as well. Anyway, she finished school in Virginia despite many obstacles, and managed to get a full scholarship to Old Dominion. So she’s deserving of the title.


DD amazes me sometimes. She has given us the gift of three wonderful grandkids. She’s a stay at home mom who bakes and decorates amazing cookies. She has a blog, but all of her pictures are on a flickr account. Be aware there are some more ‘colorful’ cookies on the flickr account! She does all of this with a two year old, a three year old and a six year old. To say she’s busy is an understatement. She does have a great husband. He’s great with the kids and even cleans house when needed!


The boys both attended Colorado School of Mines in Golden. Oldest DS graduated and youngest DS will graduate on May 14. It’s an engineering school. They talk about things I have no idea of. Their dad understands so I just sit and knit and stay quiet.

When the boys were little we were eating supper one night and had just seen the John Candy film, “Cool Runnings”, based on a Jamaican bobsled team trying to make it to the Olympics. The boys are discussing what they’d like to be when they grow up. Oldest DS says I want to be a volcanologist. I don’t even know what that means. Youngest DS says I want to be a bobsled racer! That is the difference in their personalities. Oldest DS is more serious. Youngest DS is not.

Funny to me but the oldest DS turned out to be a geophysical engineer. That’s in the same ballpark as a volcanologist! I guess he knew all along. He wants to get his masters in an overseas program. I guess it’s the right time because he’s unattached and young but it seems scary to me. It’s a two year program so maybe I’ll get a chance to visit during that time.


Youngest DS is excited and nervous to be graduated. Remember the feeling? Whether you were leaving high school or college, all of a sudden you’re a grown up. It’s a bit scary. He has many interviews but nothing nailed down yet. He’ll go anywhere and do anything. Another difference between the boys; oldest DS is an indoor worker and particular while youngest DS is an outdoor worker. He will get a job and they will be lucky to have him.


I was prepared for a nice day at home. Oldest DS drove down so we can all go to Colorado next week for graduation. DD and her family had plans to spend the day at the park with a picnic. But the weather didn’t cooperate so we all met, except for youngest DS, at a restaurant in Odessa. It was a fun time. It was a favorite restaurant. The food was a little disappointing for some reason. But the company made up for it.

Youngest DS called. Oldest DS found a great ‘yarny’ present for me. When we were visiting him in Oklahoma we went to a thrift store. I found a great granny square blanket I wanted. I didn’t pick it up right then and forgot until we were far away from the store. He went back and got it for me. He also found a book called “The Museum of Kitschy Stitches: A Gallery of Notorious Knits”. It’s a classic! DD and family gave me their company.


My kids aren’t perfect by a long shot. But they are good kids. I don’t know that it’s anything that their dad or I did but I hope they think so. I don’t know that it’s anything my mother taught me, or her mother taught her. I’m not sure what it takes to be a good mother. I’m lucky I guess, that they turned out so well. And thankful.

The knitayear is coming along. I don’t know how long this is going to be! I’m splitting mine up but it’s still going to be very long. I like the project and some of the sections I look at and remember exactly why I chose that yarn. Others are fuzzy (no pun intended!) but I can read back and remember. The blogging part is definitely the harder part. May 8 was a cold cloudy day. I chose a yarn that’s kind of fuzzy but has a bright colored velour strip as well. This day made me feel kind of melancholy and the yarn seemed to represent that feeling. Mother’s day was a good day. I realized how lucky I am to have a great mother and to have great kids and to have a great family overall. I used a ribbon yarn, soft colors, pink, greenish yellow and blue threads held with a solid tan. The tan represents the strength of the family unit and the colors the different personalities of the kids. They are different but they are alike and we’re all tied together no matter what. Monday was spent teaching the doctors and employees of TTUHSC. It’s always a fun day because they are nice and want to learn. I didn’t know what I would have to offer doctors when they first approached me but I’ve found out they are eager for anything I can give them. Interesting how people can be smart in different ways. The yarn is a brown and white yarn with little white ‘poofs’ along the strand. I was very tired but anxious also because of the trip to Colorado coming up. The tan in this case was a calming color with the white signifying the little bits of excitement that were all along the way. It’s hard to believe that this day is the 40th day of the knitayear. It seems to have gone fast. Mothers...celebrate your kids.


When love is blood you`re never on trial.
Love don`t get deeper than a mother & child

Mother, mother
If I was your mother