Well, it’s Mother’s Day, and I am grateful.

To my first born child, the squeakiest baby I know, I love you.  You taught me how to hold your head, while Mawmaw and Pawpaw kept saying, “Now hold her head.”  You taught me carpet was not important, spit up was just spit up, and red hair could glow in the dark.  You taught me that eye rolling should be an Olympic sport and that you possibly missed your calling for Nascar.  You taught me you can possibly be the one to keep your siblings alive. And you taught me that God is so good… I know He is because He gave me you.  You are one of the kindest, most caring, funniest, most beautiful, and sweetest hypochondriacs I know, the steady in our family, whether you like it or not, a soul I love to watch, and you’re a friend anyone is blessed to have including me.  I am so, so thankful you are mine.  I could not be more proud of the person you are, honestly, and I feel you are a gift God gave us and there will be lives touched because of you; I know mine has been.  I love you Caroline.

To my middle sandwich child, my Sassafras, my Cassie Lou Eyes So Blue, I love you.  You taught me what I did to my parents and how to appreciate my parents more.  You taught me that being adventurous and daring is a good thing.  You taught me that throwing an ice cream cone is funny while chasing someone with a dangerous item in hand is not.  You taught me that independence is scary and bold and what life is all about.  And you taught me that God is so good…  I know because He gave me you.  You are one of the giggliest, prettiest, most soft-hearted, free spirited souls I know, a friend to make memories with, the one in the family that keeps us all on our toes and guessing what’s coming next while carrying on five conversations at the same time, and I am so, so thankful you are mine.  I could not be more proud of the person you are and I feel you are a gift God gave us and there will be lives touched because of you; I know mine has been.  I love you Cassie.

And to the baby, the spoiled, the anointed one (right girls?), I love you.  You taught me that boys are different, their sounds, their thoughts, their curiosities, that boys are fun in a different way… and you taught me that a boy can just envelope a Mama’s heart and hang on.  You taught me that bruises and knots on your forehead are normal and okay, that you can bat your eyes and have anything you want, that cooking Quesadillas for you at 7  in the morning are for my baby and something I’ll miss, and that watching you try to jump and touch the ceiling fan to touching the ceiling with a slightly outstretched arm were like watching a marathon runner run a race, and that you could love another girl but still love your Mama.  And you taught me that God is good…  I know because He gave me you.  You are one of the kindest, funniest, best hugging boys I know, handsome and big-hearted, and the final piece of our five part puzzle, and I am so, so thankful you are mine.  I could not be more proud of the person you are and I feel you are a gift God gave us and there will be lives touched because of you; I know mine has been.  I love you Chase.

p.s.  Oops, Chase’s paragraph is longer… sorry girls but you know how that goes:)

p.s.s.  Oh my gosh, God has been so good to me!