the many phases of a mom

Being a long-distance mom to children who are all grown up and scattered to far-away places is so very different than when they were younger and at home - when sometimes mom was taken for granted because she was always there for you, taking care of the laundry, the meals, the day-to-day things that made life easy...
Time and distance and maturity have made all of us appreciate so much more the bond my kids and I have with each other. As you read in an earlier blog entry, Davy sent me a wonderful arrangement of silk flowers - which I really appreciated because I can keep them forever. I told him that when he called me on Saturday, but he was more concerned about the HUGE mistake the florist had made! The flowers were supposed to be real and growing - he was mumbling something about how he had ordered really big orchids and that's not what I received and he was going to call and get his money back! I tried to reassure him that I was very happy with what I got - but his concern for me and his disappointment in not getting exactly the right thing for me was touching!
Yesterday, I got a call from Jacquie and Dan, who are still in Maui on their honeymoon! It was 3 in the afternoon and I was visiting with my mom when they called. They were having coffee on the terrace of their condo (it was 9 a.m. their time) and were preparing to enjoy their last full day in their little piece of paradise since they will be flying back to Boston today. Speaking to Dan was a treat - he always makes me feel so special and loved. My conversation with Jacquie turned to the wedding and what she told me was the best compliment I could ever receive. She told me that Dan had asked her if she was happy with how the wedding turned out...did she want a "do-over?" She said that she felt that everything was how she had envisioned it and she wouldn't change a thing...and there was no reason to do anything over again. What a wonderful feeling I had to think that I helped give Jacquie and Dan a wedding of their dreams!
Finally, my Stacey called me last night around 10:15 to wish me a happy Mother's Day. My Stacey...the perfectionist, the planner, my middle child with all the traits of a first-born! She told me that she had been helping her friends move their things out of the dorms to go home for the summer - she was tired and wet and cold. Yes, the Northeast is getting quite a few days of rain - and the flooding that often accompanies spring downpours was getting worse (http://www.sungazette.com/oniWire/oniWireDetails.asp?articleID=2337&state=&category=National%20News). She wanted to stay a few extra days to attend the commencement ceremony and say goodbye to a special friend...
I complimented her on the toast she gave Jacquie & Dan at the wedding reception. Although she had nothing written down or planned...she gave the most beautiful description of the special relationship she has with her sister and how thrilled she is that Jacquie found someone who has made her so happy. Everything she said was from the heart and the way she shared her feelings was eloquent and so touching. She has a very special way with words...
So - my children - thank you for making my Mother's Day a very special one, indeed. This year, my role as mother has expanded once again...For 21 years, I was just a mom, then in 2003, I became a stepmom to Rachael and Caleb, and then a few weeks ago, I became a mom-in-law...and soon (not too soon, but sometime soon...), I expect to become a grandmom. What a delicious thought!