Kristin Williams Balla

My sister and I agree that Mother’s Day has a way of setting up some women for disappointment. Let’s face it, being a mother is seriously hard. Hard-core hard in fact. We should receive awards if we simply manage to refrain from eating our young (especially during their teen years). To borrow from the Peace Corps, “It is the toughest job you’ll ever love.”

I admit I have had some disappointing Mother’s Day experiences myself . This year, I am happy to announce, was not one of them. Actually, it was my best Mother’s Day ever!

I am sure that it helped that the weather was gorgeous and I was feeling upbeat to start with. But the day just got better and better as it went along.

I arrived home from church, starving as usual. It is too early for me to eat breakfast before I attend Praise Team practice before the first service. By the end of church (9:45am) I am ready to gnaw on cardboard.  

Once home, Johnna met me in the hallway with a hug and a half-pound of gourmet chocolates. How great a daughter is she? I made Ashley, Leigha and Johnna each take one of the precious commodities. They refused to take a second one because it was a gift for me that they wanted me to have for myself.  That collective spirit of generosity touched me. And it was my breakfast after all. I am so NOT Jane Fonda.

Ashley crocheted an orange and black pillow for me to put in my orange/black/white home-office. She is quite accomplished at this and does impressively neat work.  

Leigha messaged me on Facebook. Here is her tender proclamation:

Once I stopped feeling depressed about her English-as-a-second- language English skills, I laughed at the P.S. If I had been drinking coffee at the time, I would have inadvertently snorted it onto the carpet. Note to self: Give Leigha $5 from her paper bank account.

My sister Kathi took me and our mom out to lunch at Isaac’s in Strasburg. We had such a wonderful time! Kath remembers stuff that I don’t remember at all. We got all nostalgic about the magic of our childhood Christmases and the way Mom attended all of our functions, sports, etc. Mom was a Girl Scout leader, Boy Scout leader and lifeguard. We had a pool in our backyard so she was unofficially responsible for the neighborhood gang all summer. Mom was also a cook, driver, cheerleader, therapist, etc… We sang harmony when we did dishes and when we drove in the car. She took in “strays” (kids, not dogs). I was blessed with a Super Mommy.

When I got home from lunch my own kids (and one grandson) began arriving at our house. They brought hamburgers and hot dogs to grill, pasta salad, chips & dip, soda, pickles, sliced tomato , lettuce, brownies and two cakes!

Attila fired up our $15 charcoal grill and 1.5 hours later two hamburgers were ready to eat. The kids all decided that Attila will definitely be getting a gas grill for Father’s Day (but I think that may have been the stomachs talking).

We laughed hysterically for three hours. Jayden was his ever-delightful self. Katie and Declan gave me Tupperware and drinking glasses as a gift. They went “practical” this year since we have broken about 20 glasses in the last few months and we never have enough for Wednesday Night Family Dinner. ”Practical” totally works for me.

So, Mother’s Day didn’t stink and I am really looking forward to having that gas grill in a few weeks.