"Thanks Mom"

The power of those two little words..."thanks mom"...Especially when delivered at the right time, in the right place - They can turn me from an impatient, moody moron back into a loving human being...and when delivered with a smile and a hug, forget about it!

So why don't we say them more often?? I was thinking about the words just this weekend, as I sat at my kitchen table in front of my sewing machine. You see, I've been blessed to be the daughter of the world's best Mom, and little things in my life frequently remind me of that fact.

On Sunday, I was sitting in the kitchen sewing slip covers for the back seat of my Volkswagen Van (aka "Arnold") and I thought about how cool it was that my Mom took time when I was young to teach me the basics of sewing. I'm not claiming to be a seamstress by any means, but my mom made sure I knew how to thread and sew straight lines on a basic sewing machine. Each year, around this time, I thank my mom for that gift as I sew my children's costumes for Halloween.

The world's best mom taught me so many indispensable things - mostly about the value of family, fun and faith - which were then and are now the cornerstones of a wonderful life. She taught me that mothering is a vocation as she selflessly devoted her life to raising five kids. The amazing thing is that it continues to this day - she still carries her cell phone and answers by the third ring to respond to the daily "emergencies" that cause each of us to have need of her on a daily basis. Whether that's for hands-on help, like picking up a grandkid from school, or goofy stuff, like her recipe for "impossible pie" or philosophical dilemnas such as the parenting of a teenage son...she has always been, and continues to be, completely devoted to the art of Mothering. When in doubt, I frequently pause and ask myself WWMMD (what would my mom do?)...I've learned, in most situations, to go with her gut mothering instincts.

But I don't think I thank her frequently enough. Not only for the love and support she offers me now, but also retroactively, for those many times I surely drove her nuts.

For the times I forgot my homework and she bailed me out.

For the times I wore a pair of jeans for fifteen minutes and then threw them in the dirty laundry.

For the times she took me shopping for the perfect dress, or sewed it for me, despite my pickiness.

For the perfection, and inperfection, she exhibited in parenting and teaching us to be part of a loving family.

For the gift of Faith and the hope of prayer...

For these and all the rest that remains unsaid, I thank you Mom and I love you! And a big thank you to my CatholicMom.com columnist Sue Terbay, who never ceases to inspire me. Click here to read Sue's thoughts on the Moms in our lives!