Happy Mother's Day!

I've written about how great my mom is several times, I'm sure; but this Mother's Day, I've been thinking of how protective my mom was when I was growing up. I didn't really understand it back then, but I certainly do now. Isn't that what all parents say? "You'll understand when you have kids of your own!" It's the truth!

The memory of my mom's protecting me that I've been thinking about the most is about a sleepover. I always slept over with my grandparents, my cousin, and my best friend from church, but one time a girl from school was having a sleepover. My mom said that I could go to the birthday party, but that I couldn't sleep over. I was so upset and embarrassed that the other girls in my class got to stay, but that I didn't -- until I got to the party. I realized that this particular family did not live the way we lived. Honestly, I was a little bit scared and A LOT grateful that my mom had said she would be picking me up in just a couple hours.

This memory isn't about judging people for the way they choose to live, but about a mother's love for her daughter and that daughter's realization that no words could ever say enough how much that love and protection are appreciated. It is NOT easy for a parent to go against her child's desires or a culture's idea of "normal," but sometimes it's necessary. I learned a great lesson from this memory: part of a mother's job is to protect her children, even if it means getting strange looks from other parents and anger from the children she's trying so hard to love and protect.

THANK YOU, MOM!! I love you :-)