Mother's Day Eve

I woke up feeling really blue this morning which is a very rare thing for me. I was thinking about Mother's Day. Thoughts of my mom who passed away six years ago and our kids hundreds and thousands of miles away and before I knew it I was brushing away the tears. It felt good in a weird sort of way to think of them, and mourn the loss of having them near and to realize how very important they are to me and how much I miss them.

It made me so thankful for our eternal family relationships, but I still felt empty and alone in the here and now of it. I knew it was because I was thinking about how much I missed them all. I know that thoughts always precede feelings so I decided to try to kick it by thinking different thoughts.

This is what I thought about instead...

1. I am cooking dinner for Jim and his mom tomorrow and I'm going to be thankful that he still enjoys this relationship in his life. It is a blessing when your parents live to a ripe old age. Many are not so fortunate. Jim is so good to his Mom and to me too. I know he'll make it a nice day for us!

2. I am going to serve dinner in the dining room (we don't have to sit in the kitchen just because there are only three of us) and I am going to use my grandmother's china. That will be a reminder of all the lovely meals our family has eaten from them as we sat around the table together. My Grandmother and my Mom both loved these dishes and I do too!

I don't know how old they are but she has
been gone for over 40 years.
I'd say they are at least 70 years old.

I was thinking about running out again to
get some beautiful fresh flowers and suddenly...

Look what arrived on our doorstep from
Jennifer and Lowell and the girls a little later!
2 dozen beautiful roses. ♥ them!

3. I am going to go all out on the dinner. I just went and bought all the ingredients for my Mom's famous and delicious potato salad. I have never made it for just three people (it's usually 30!) but today I am.

This compote dish is just perfect
for our "crowd" tomorrow!

We're going to have a tri-tip roast and
sauteed mushrooms,
and artichokes and a
yummy green salad to go with it.

Mushrooms and garlic, a reminder of Jim's
Grandmother who was the best cook in the world.

And I am making my mom's wonderful peanut butter cookies, no body makes them like she did! They always remind me of her loving hands and nurturing ways. They'll be great with the chocolate ice cream that Jim's Mother loves so much.

I am going to serve the ice cream in these delicate,
pink, serbert glasses that were my Mom's
and put some cookies in the little
saucer below it.

Warm and fresh from the oven!
{I know this over kill for 3 people but
I cannot make one batch of cookies.
Not when it is a once in every four year event.
I am serious. I have to figure out how
to use my mixer every time I take it out!}
Marie is probably hanging her head in shame for me!

4. I am going to try to talk to all the kids tomorrow but it may not happen as Chris is in Europe some place...I think Prague..with his engineering students. And with the time differences and church schedules it may be tough to get either of our European kidlets. If I don't I'll write them a letter letting them know that the best mother's day gift of all is being their mother. And the reality of that is that I celebrate them and motherhood every day of the year.

I am definitely going to talk to Missy and tell her how much we appreciate her as she supports Chris in his travels and is home alone with her four kids! And I am going to think of every beautiful baby that the Lord has blessed this family with! Pure joy each and every one of them.

This cute stork frame holds a photo of Julia

when she was born. It will represent all our
sweet babies as part of my
centerpiece on the table.

5. I am definitively thinking about and thankful for the sweet mothers of our grandchildren and what a super job they are doing in bringing up these little ones. They are tireless, unselfish, giving mothers and great wives. You go, sweet daughters, Jen, Laura and Missy! Sweet Melissa send me a gift certificate to Bath and Body Works and I plan to wear the beautiful bracelet that Laura send me from Rome all day tomorrow. And those roses, Jen! Yum! Thanks, kids, so much!

As soon as I got my mind off of what I didn't have (them nearby) and focused on what I do have (everything else) it made all the difference. And all that cooking helped too. Serving, keeping busy, and being thankful for the glass that is not only half full but overflowing... has turned my frown upside down.

Gratitude for our blessings from our Father in Heaven just makes us happy no matter what. That is one thing I know for sure. And service is the other. The love of a family trumps everything else. Time, space, distance can't touch it...it is forever. I am going to have a very Happy Mother's Day tomorrow, I hope you do too.

This is a perpetual Mother's Day card
from our kids. I take it out every year.
It is on a glitter board and
hangs with a ribbon.
It is made by Moonlight and RosesThey have great stuff!
The link

The topper of the day was seeing and listening to the Celine Dion's YouTube video! That totally kicked my melancholy mood to the curb! I had pre-posted it to post today at noon a few days ago. It is just below this post and I am putting on one more for tomorrow. It so totally expresses the beauty and love of a mother for her child.

I gave myself a gift today..I ordered that CD from Amazon! Am I the last person on the planet to get behind this album? I am kind of a recent fan of Celine Dion...she is so incredibly talented. I of course knew of her and some of her popular songs, I just kind of missed her until now if you know what I mean. So that was my day and my experiment on turning my day around. It worked...I am a believer!