Happy (Early) Mother's Day!

Part of Susan's Mother's Day gift could not have survived in my vehicle until tomorrow, so I decided that she should open everything today. Yes, it's a day early, but that frees up more time tomorrow for going out to eat (rather than sitting around and opening presents--so time-consuming, don't you find?). Each of the girls had made her an assortment of things at school: from Suzanna, a card printed in color from the computer and an acrostic poem spelling out "Mother" and several homemade coupons (e.g., "I will not fight with my sisters today," redeemable over and over, according to Suzanna) and a balloon upon which she wrote "Happy Mother's Day"; from Abigail, a foam-art frame containing her own photo and a poem about mothers and a coupon to Taco Bell (that Abigail earned at school but wanted Mommy to have); and from Hillary, heart-shaped artwork and other crafts dedicated to motherhood.

What wasn't about to live through the night in the garage were the four dozen roses that were part of my gift to her--a dozen each of light pink, medium pink, peach, and white. I also gave her an assortment of bath-related products from Avon: body scrub, body wash, bubble bath, etc. They came with permission to "Relax!" It is ironic that, while I was cutting and arranging the roses and laying out the gifts aimed at helping her to relax, Susan was washing and folding laundry and hanging clean sheets outside on the line to dry. Well, tomorrow will be all about her relaxing. And eating at restaurants.

P.S. Last night, while taking her sweet time to finish her supper (long after the rest of us had finished and moved on with our lives), Hillary was listing things that she could do for Susan for Mother's Day. Susan suggested, "How about eating your meal in a timely manner?" Hillary replied, "Now, that's something I'm going to have to pray about."