Mother's Day is a chance to celebrate our moms, but mom is such a special person that we should really need no out-of-the-ordinary occasion to stop and think about her contribution to our life. She is usually the first person that we have memories of spending time with. Because of this, I felt it only fitting to dedicate this little article to my SAHM in honor of all the things she did for our family through the years and to say thanks for all she continues to do.

   My mom truly enjoyed spending time with us. She would start her day at 5:30 each morning with the usual task of fixing breakfast for dad and packing his lunch so that he could be off to work by 6:00 on the dot. Afterward she would get us up and start our breakfast. Sometimes we would have "Teddy-Bear Pancakes" or egg with cinnamon toast or any number of favorites from her wide menu. Next came the housework which she would hurry through with precision timing so that the afternoon could be spent playing with us. Now we attended public school, but in the days before we were enrolled and on our summer breaks we always counted playing together with mom as the highlight of our day and we usually had plenty of neighborhood kids that joined in the fun. Some of our favorite activities included coloring, having tea parties, playing old fashioned games like "Poor Kitty-Cat" and "Button-Button" and, of course, reading stories.

     During the 1970s when so many moms were heading off to find work outside of the home, my mom set forth her own Declaration of Independence: and announced her Treatise on the Disadvantages of Returning to "Work". She said that motherhood WAS her job and that she worked mighty hard at it. We were teens by this time and mom felt it was even more important for her to be home with us during this stage of our life. She was always there to give us guidance concerning the really tough issues that young people have to face.

     Lastly, no article about my mom would be complete without mentioning the wonderful smells that saturated our house as a result of all of her good home made meals. She had an outstanding collection of dinner menu favorites in addition to all of those interesting breakfast choices that were mentioned earlier. Among my favorite aromas to come home to after a long day at school were these:

Fried Flounder Filets w/ homemade Coleslaw and Rice

Pinto Beans, Fried Potatoes, Cornbread and Apple Crisp

Salmon Patties, Peas & Carrots, fresh homemade French Fries           

Hand made Pizza and fresh Garden Salads

A lot has changed since we were kids and I have only recently subscribed to my mother's treatise to remain at home. I hope I will be able to fill my house with the same kind of warm and wonderful memories as those found in the home that my mother kept. Mom, you're the BEST!