Happy Mother's Day

The funny thing about working with teenagers (especially that super awkward age that is 13-14) is you really get to see those parent-teen dynamics in action.

When we were in Ottawa over the Easter weekend, I picked up an old diary of mine (written back in '92-'93). Opened to a random page, I read about a fight I'd had with my mum. We used to have fights - and when I made her cry, I never felt like the victor. I felt like a gigantic loser who'd made their mother cry.

I still wasn't very good at apologizing.

I know, I know, way to open a tribute to my mother. What I'm trying to emphasize now though, is my Mum put up with a lot.

Frankly, I could understand if she'd voted me off the island.

I love my mother to the world's end. She was the one who took me to the library every week (sometimes more than once) and never once judged my reading choices (which was especially important when I started venturing into the romance section). She was the one who taught me that being smart was a label to be proud of. She was the one who taught me patience, how to take a deep breath and, how to let things go. She also has (though I think she doesn't know it herself) a wicked sense of humour, and if you make her laugh so hard that she cries, well, that's an accomplishment.

Mum and I at the Kona Village Luau

 I don't think I've ever been successful in that regard, but my husband and brother manage to get her a few times a year.

She also taught me how to clean my oven cleaned my oven because I didn't know how I had never bothered to learn. When I moved to Japan, I wanted nothing more than to talk about absolutely nothing with her. Every time I saw my family and had to say good-bye again, I cried, because I knew I would miss her.

As my husband and I start to think about having a family of our own someday, I'm completely overwhelmed by the burgeoning knowledge of really, really everything my Mum has done for me. The things mothers all over the world have done for their children.

Nothing I say or do can say enough thank yous. And, I wish I was in Ottawa to give her a hug and a kiss and to tell her in person how much I love her.

Failing that, all I can say is Happy Mother's Day, Mum! You're awesome.