Coffee With Maddie




Recently one of my good friends went back to work full-time. Like me, she’s a mother of three boys - three very active boys. Her schedule no longer leaves a lot of time for socializing. So when she called and asked me to meet her for coffee one evening last week, I was thrilled. When I arrived at the coffee shop I was pleasantly surprised to see another mutual friend sitting there whom I also don’t get a chance to see very often because of her full-time job. As I stood in line to get my coffee, I looked at these two gals and thought about how jobs are highly overrated and get in the way of being able to hang out with people we really enjoy.

Between the three of us, we’re raising eight boys between the ages of 10 and 19. Oddly enough, I have the oldest, youngest and one somewhere in the middle of the eight. We have each had different experiences with our boys - some of them good, some of them not so good. We spent time that evening catching up and sharing what was going on with ourselves and our families, particularly all of those boys. Sometimes we look to each other for answers. Other times we’re just looking for a shoulder to lean on. What we’ve come to find out is that being a mom is not always the easiest job in the world, but it becomes easier when you can open up to other moms.

Erma Bombeck, in her infinite wisdom, said this: “Giving birth is little more than a set of muscular contractions granting passage of a child. Then a mother is born.” What a novel way to look at this whole parenthood process! A mother is born. She’s born and has this new little baby to take home with her. Taking home my newborns was always a bit scary because for some reason none of them came with instruction manuals. And while the basics for each were the same, over the years I’ve come to learn that each one operates very differently! If you have more than one child, you’ve most likely been asked the question, “Who do you love the best?” I’ve always told my boys this: “I don’t love any one of you the best. I love each of you differently.” They want to know who the “love” winner is and I just let them know they’re all winners! Each one is wired so differently, how could I possibly ever love them all the same?

When I went home from having coffee with my two friends last week, I took some time to think about my mom. I know there was a lot I’d taken for granted growing up. I didn’t realize how hard her “job” as a mom really was until I had three children of my own. What I know now is that she was absolutely doing the best job she could. It’s amazing what having children of your own will do. There were times my brother, my sister and I made her very proud. There have been other times when we caused her a great deal of worry and pain. My mom’s faith and prayers have pulled us all through some tough times. Thanks Mom!

What will you do this Mother’s Day? If you’re not as fortunate as I am to have your mother with you and/or close by, please take time to remember other moms that you know. Being a mom is one of the most rewarding and challenging things I’ve ever done or will probably ever do and I wish all mothers a very happy Mother’s Day!

Until next week . . . God bless you and yours! -Maddie

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Coffee With Maddie: Archive;
Blessings
Magazine Junkie!
Maddie Goes to College
Changes
Let the season begin!
Getting Older!
I'm Getting Fat!
I Love a good book!
Family Games
Manners!
Someone to Love
A Special Anniversary
New Year Goals
My Spinal Tap!
The Book Store
I Salute Our Men in Uniform
Valentine's Day
My Birthday Choices
Current Events and Politics
Cabin Fever
We Can Choose the Words We Use
Let's Get Organized!
Support Our Troops
Acts of Kindness
Find Something to Do!
Yippee, Spring!
Yo Dude
Mother's Day

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About the Author;
Maddie is a dear friend from the Midwest who will touch your heart with her gentle stories of home of family. You can just picture yourself at the kitchen table any early morning with Maddie, a fresh cup of coffee, maybe the smell of bacon in the air, and a log on the fire to take out the chill.

Talk to Maddie at ...
Maddie@boomerjournals.com