They Make Me Work for My Gifts
My mother died when I was a child but there are these things that constantly remind me of her. Like, for instance, I cannot smell yeast dough without thinking of her hands working the dough that she would pinch into perfectly round rolls. Or the smell of Jergen’s lotion or the smell of Topaz perfume. Those are just a few of the many things that remind me of her. Those nostalgic memories are the best. Even before I know that the scent or sound or visual stimulus is going to remind me of Mama, I feel so warm and comfortable inside. She wasn’t perfect, but she did the best she could considering that she was raising ten kids alone.
So, my daughter called and wished me a happy mother’s day. She told me to look inside the diaper bag, her kids are with me, and so I did and found a perfectly gorgeous peace sign necklace. Also, she made me a card that has her children’s handprints on it and her thumb print. In the center is a heart that she stamped on, I think, with one of those heart shaped sponges, and off to the side, she said, Happy Mother’s Day. Then right after I hung up from her, my son called and said, look in the refrigerator in the meat bin, which I did, and there was another card that directed me to his office where I found gift number two—one package of soft socks and a picture of his kids in a beautiful frame.
The thing with the scavenger hunt is that when they were children, sometimes, just out of the blue, I’d surprise them with a gift and leave clues around the house until they finally found the gift.
Even though my daughter had that period when she had a really hard time getting it all together, I have to say, she has finally got it together and my son has always been so good that I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect child. Now, I’m thinking how fortunate that I am that both kids are good to me and I am a part of their lives.
I hope you all have as nice a mother’s day as I and for those who are estranged from the children, I can only say that I feel sorry for you guys and hope you can fix it, not for your own sakes, but for the sake of your kids. Mothers, Happy Mother’s Day
My kids have been great to me this weekend. Just the cards with special messages inside are enough for me. They did take me out for a fantastic meal today and now I'm suffering. I ate entirely too much, but I'm still pre-op and can, unfortunately.
Enjoy the kids.
Jan
I'm always amused by your essays- I actually enjoy your language- the more color the better. I think that it shows the "authentic" you, that you write just as you speak. Your scavenger hunt sounds like so much fun! I wish I had heard about that idea when my daughter was younger. I'm sure your children have wonderful memories of childhood. The smell reference is so true. Everytime I smell that "spice" smell from the tube car deodorants I am taken back to making out in one of my high school boyfriend's car. It is burned in my brain forever. I'll probably be sitting in the retirement home with little brain left grasping a tube of spice deodorant with a stupid smile on my face!
Julia
Then there was the year I wrote her a poem for each of the twelve days of Christmas.
GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!!!
My husband is able to keep the surprise going; however, I cannot keep a secret to save my life. When I shop for the grands, I ask them what they want and buy those things and get a few surprises and always end up telling them what I got them. My husband gets so mad at me and always buys things and hides them from me so the kids really get surprises. I love the scavenger hunt, but I get impatient and want to know what the end result is, long before I find it.
