For all the Moms

My friend sent this to me today.  It made me cry.

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This is for the  mothers who have sat up all night with sick toddlers in
their arms, wiping up puke laced with Oscar Mayer wieners and cherry
Kool-Aid saying,  'It's okay honey, Mommy's here' .  Who have sat in rocking
chairs for hours  on end soothing crying babies who can't be comforted.

This is for all  the mothers who show up at work with spit-up in their hair
and milk stains  on their blouses and diapers in their purse.

For all the  mothers who run carpools and make cookies and sew Halloween
costumes. And all the mothers who DON'T.

This is  for the mothers who gave birth to babies they'll never see. And the
mothers who took those babies and gave them homes.

This is for the  mothers whose priceless art collections are hanging on
their refrigerator doors.

And for all the mothers who froze their buns on  metal bleachers at
football, hockey or soccer games instead of watching  from the warmth of
their cars, so that when their kids asked, 'Did you  see me, Mom?' they
could say, 'Of course, I wouldn't have missed it for  the world,' and mean
it.

This is for all the mothers who yell  at their kids in the grocery store and
swat them in despair when they  stomp their feet and scream for ice cream
before dinner. And for all the mothers who count to ten instead, but realize
how child abuse happens.

This is for all the mothers who sat down with their children  and explained
all about making babies. And for all the (grand) mothers  who wanted to, but
just couldn't find the words.

This is for all  the mothers who go hungry, so their children can eat.

For all the  mothers who read 'Goodnight, Moon' twice a night for a year.
And then  read it again. 'Just one more time.'

This is for all the mothers who  taught their children to tie their
shoelaces before they started school.  And for all the mothers who opted for
Velcro instead.

This is  for all the mothers who teach their sons to cook and their
daughters to sink a jump shot.

This is for every mother whose head turns automatically when a little voice
calls 'Mom?' in a crowd, even though they know their own offspring are at
home -- or even away at  college.

This is for all the mothers who sent their kids to school  with
stomachaches, assuring them they'd be just FINE once they got  there, only
to get calls from the school nurse an hour later asking them to please pick
them up. Right away.

This is for mothers whose children have gone astray, who can't find the
words to reach them.

For all the mothers who bite their lips until they bleed when their 14 year
olds dye their hair green.

For all the mothers of the victims of recent school shootings, and the
mothers of those who did the  shooting.

For the mothers of the survivors, and the mothers who sat in front of their
TVs in horror, hugging their child who just came home from school, safely.

This is for all the mothers who taught their children to be peaceful, and
now pray they come home safely from a  war.

What makes a good Mother anyway?

Is it patience?  Compassion? Broad hips? The ability to nurse a baby, cook
dinner, and sew a button on a shirt, all at the same time?

Or is it in her heart?  Is it the ache you feel when you watch your son or
daughter disappear down the street, walking to school alone for the very
first time?

The jolt that takes you from sleep to dread, from bed to crib at 2 A.M. to
put your hand on the back of a sleeping  baby?

The panic, years later, that comes again at 2 A.M. when you  just want to
hear their key in the door and know they are safe again in your home?

Or the need to flee from wherever you are and hug your child when you hear
news of a fire, a car accident, a child dying?

The emotions of motherhood are universal and so our thoughts are for young
mothers stumbling through diaper changes and sleep deprivation...

And mature mothers learning to let go. For working mothers and stay-at-home
mothers. Single mothers and married mothers.  Mothers with money, mothers
without

This is for you all. For  all of us.

Hang in there. In the end we can only do the best we can.  Tell them every
day that we love them. And pray.

Please pass along to all the Moms in your life.

'Home is what catches you when you fall - and we all fall.'

Please pass this to a wonderful mother you know.

(I just did)

If you send this to just one  person, it should make it all the way around
the world by Mother's Day.