Happy Mother's Day to My Daughters, Sisters and Sister IN Laws:

Happy Mother's Day to all of you.

To my girls; thank you so much for giving me seven very bright, intelligent and beautiful grandchildren all of whom I adore. Every one of them are so different and unique in a very special way. When Barbara was expecting Morgan; I was unprepared for the maternal feelings that emerged with his birth. It was a pleasant surprise to feel for them like I feel for my own kids.

I know first hand how difficult it can be between mothers and daughters at times. My Mom and I butted heads for years. Suddenly she became a super intelligent woman when my first child was born. Did anyone catch Oprah's show Friday honoring Mothers? It was an awesome show; especially the interviews with Demi Moore and Vanessa Williams.

I have asked myself a million times what is it between mothers and daughters that gets in the way sometimes. I don't have the answers. Sure wish I did. I can remember being frustrated with my own mother because I felt she didn't listen to me and what I felt was important to me and important for her to hear. I never took in consideration that she had so many kids to care for and found it impossible at times to give us one on one time. We did work through our issues; spent a lot of one on one time and talking a lot and we became the best of friends many years before she died. I am grateful for that.

The only advice I can give to the women in my family with issues with their daughters is to listen more. Try hard to make the time for one on one time together. Be honest with your children. And hopefully they feel they can be honest with you too.

I want to thank my sisters for giving me such wonderful neices and nephews and great neices and nephews. And to Susan who mothered our children so much. She started mothering my kids when she was only five years old too. I smile at the memories of her taking care of her "baby sister Barbie". Susan and I taking almost daily walks with Barbie in the carriage and Susan helping to push and steer and peeking at the baby to make sure she was not too cold or too hot. None of us had the heart to tell her Barbie was her neice not a sister. :)

I called Eric's house today to wish Rima, Barbara and Rita a Happy Mother's Day. I called his cell and apparently he was not home. He said he would pass along my wishes for them.

I asked him how close the fires were to them. Too darned close one is only three miles away and everyone around there is suffering from all the smoke. I also asked him if he had ever read this blog. His answer was "I don't do blogs." Susan or anyone the next time you talk to him will you tell him this is less about being a blog and more about being a family newsletter.

He told me Rita finished massage school and will graduate within a few days. She will have to take the state boards before she can go to work with her mother at the same hospital. Congrats Rita! Way to go! I am proud of you girl!

I love you all and wish tomorrow to be a very special day for the "Mommies" in the family.

Love,

Nancy