"Guess How Much I Love You?
The Mother's Day Tea is one of my favorite school events of the year. Reserved for the pre-school through 1st grade classes, it's simple, sweet and sentimental. Regardless of how many times a defiant look has crossed my child's face, when I walk through the classroom door, I am suddenly the queen. Her face beams radiantly as she waits with anticipation to hug me and present me with gifts of hand-painted pots and pictures and poems.
The tea is a chance for me to see myself through my child's eyes and I am reminded that her world is not always the same as mine. Smiles and hugs can cure a bad day, words of affirmation can turn doubt into confidence, and just being there is more important than a clean house, a gourmet dinner, or finishing my "to do" list!
"Mom" by Ella
In case you can't read it, the answers to the above questions are:
- My mom's hair is - "Like Mine" Dirty Blonde
- My mom's eyes are - Blue
- My mom is - 14 - years old
- My mom's favorite food is - Salad
- When I'm at school, my mom - Goes to exercise class
- My mom's favorite thing to do is - Be with me
- It makes my mother happy when - She watches a flat screen TV with me
- I love my mom because - She's nice!
At some point during the tea, the teachers read a story or a poem that expresses the significance of our roles as moms, a reminder that we are not stuck in a world of the mundane, but that every single little thing we do makes a difference. Always unprepared, I blot my eyes with a flowered napkin.
My Collection of Mother's Day Pots
Happy Mother's Day!
When You Thought I Wasn't Looking
Author Unknown (to me)
When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator,
and I immediately wanted to paint another one.
When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw you feed a stray cat,
and I learned that it was good to be kind to animals.
When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw you make my favorite cake for me,
and I learned that the little things
can be the special things in life.
When you thought I wasn't looking,
I heard you say a prayer,
and I knew that there is a God I could always talk to,
and I learned to trust in Him.
When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw you make a meal and take it to a friend who was sick,
and I learned that we all have to help take care
of each other.
When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw you give of your time and money to
help people who had nothing,
and I learned that those who have something
should give to those who don't.
When I thought I wasn't looking,
I saw you take care of our house and everything in it,
and I learned we have to take care of what we are given,
When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw how you handled your responsibilities,
even when you didn't feel good,
and I learned that I would have to be responsible when I grow up.
When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw tears come from your eyes,
and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it's all right to cry.
When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw that you cared, and I wanted to be everything that I could be.
When you thought I wasn't looking,
I learned most of life's lessons that I need to know to be a
good and productive person when I grow up.
When you thought I wasn't looking,
I looked at you and wanted to say,
"Thanks for all the things I saw when
you thought I wasn't looking."