they just. keep. coming.

~ One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest & Ruprect the Monkey Boy ~

Thanks so much to everyone for their really lovely comments about Daniel's poem. It has been SO much fun going through my blog from the beginning! And oh... my goodness! The more I keep reading, the more treasures I find! GEMS!

~ Davy performing at Kulak's Woodshed ~

First comes Davy's Mother's Day poem 2009. Most of you know the only thing I ask for for Mother's Day is a poem from my three boys. Their poems to me are one of the highlights of my year. This one from Davy literally stopped me in my tracks and took my breath away:

If time was a stone that I cast from my hand,

And the ripples were love from the water it hit,

I'd jump in the pond and fish the stone out,

And hold to it's nurture,

In case

Of a drought.

My mother's the energy that dwells within ponds,

And had she not held me I would've drowned,

And if she'd not been so transparently clean,

My stone,

That I cast...

I wouldn't have seen.

Sooo beautiful - it touched me to my core. Such a treasure :)

~ Daniel on his way to Ethiopia ~

Daniel was in Ethiopia being an intern for an NPO, so he sent his poem a bit late. I didn't mind - the words and meaning make up for it tenfold! 

so strange the way our heartstrings play
at times they brave so pure a faith
at times they break and fear to pray
but break or brave, the subtle tune
feels like one you always knew
and teaches in the way it soothes

her heartstrings whisper gentle tones
when love collides with fear and stone
when ice winds blow into her home
but ice or stone, the storm will spend
and she will hear the tune again
her heartstrings blessed and made to mend

So meaningful. Thank you for your love and talent, my son. 

*

Well, friends, my heart is filled to overflowing, and I hope yours is too! And just a reminder to *visit this post* and submit a gname for my gnome! I'm going to try to pick the winner this weekend! xoxo

Mrs. Puff's Mother's Day: Episode 2

 Okay, these pics turned out pretty sa-weet, even for a Mrs. Puff photo shoot...

 Well... for the most part I guess ;)

LURVE. THESE. BOYS.

XOXO

Mrs. Puff's Mother's Day: Episode 1

 This is Mrs. Puff

For the 3 people on the planet that don't already know who she is, Mrs. Puff is Sponge Bob Square Pants' long-suffering driving teacher. And also a huge, puffy fish. Now, I've spoken before about having to take prednisone (steroid medication) for my newly diagnosed Lupus, and how one of the many super fun side effects that go along with it are how it puffs up your face. MOON FACE. I immediately refused to take part in this side effect. As anyone with a brain would. And after being on it a few months I experienced the humbling truth that you can't opt out of certain side effects. So now I look like Mrs. Puff. Hopefully for a matter of months as opposed to indefinitely. But I still had a really *LOVELY* Mother's Day. Even as Mrs. Puff.  

 Awww... Davy and Matthew with me right after church :)

 We ordered Round Table pizza the night before and heated it up in the oven. I know, I know... most of you would think this is the stupidest thing to eat for Mother's Day EVER. And I rarely even eat meat(!!!) Let alone pepperoni :/ But Mrs. Puff can't get enough of Round Table pepperoni pizza. She could eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Hot or cold. For better or for worse. Bond or free. You get the idea.

 Look what my Mouse got me! Is that not the cutest, most thoughtful gift? Nice Mousie :)

 John surprised me with some See's candy, and the one piece I got was really good. Something about how he's so glad I don't care for dark chocolate... and a few days later how the remainder of the box "fell" off the shelf into the Mouse's mouth? I'm still pondering that one.

 Mouse fell asleep (in his cozy wool pea coat he got at a garage sale for $5)

 Davy went to work on his short film for school but he passed out too (See's candy?)

 BEST. MOTHER'S DAY. ACTIVITY. EVER.

John and I had gone and purchased 2 little rosemary trees to plant in my 2 favorite pots. I always try to get rosemary trees around Christmas time but wasn't able to this year - I was so happy I found some! They're not only adorable, but they smell sooo wonderful! And of course since they're an herb you can use them in cooking. 

 Look at the darling PINK gardening gloves Diana gave me! Love them! Our little trees are waiting to be planted in the pots & soil we are preparing for them. I love to go out and run my hands over the rosemary because then they smell so good - mmmmmmm :)

 Awww... look how *CUTE* my little rosemary tree looks! I bet it's so happy too!
They both turned out great and it was such a fun project for us to do on Mother's Day!
Thank you everyone, for humoring me!

 Of course, Luna and Angel have to be involved in everything, hehehe

 Yep, it's TRUE! I forced John & the boys to watch "Little Women" with me! 
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!

They were actually very good sports about it. And they really liked it - though I'm not sure they would admit that. Ah, what a great movie. I hadn't seen it forever. And the book, well, the book Little Women and especially it's sequel, Little Men, are two of my all time favorite books EVER.  

 But that's not all! Look what my lovely friends brought! 

Diana brought homemade bread which was to DIE for, and Rochelle sent me one of her amazing homemade scones! YUM! The boys even brought me a scrumptious cinnamon roll and strawberries home from church! Thank you, thank you my wonderful friends :)

~
My favorite gift though, every year... means the very most to me.

Each one of my boys writes me a poem. I love them more than life. The boys AND the poems. I've never made a special request before, but this year I asked them if they would do humorous poems. As always, they did not disappoint. They were very funny. I won't print them, but let's just say the Mouse's was about a bong, Davy's was about being hit upside the head, and Daniel's was a long ode to a toilet. 'Nuff said. 

It was an awesome Mother's Day. Even for Mrs. Puff. Thank you my dears :)

P.S. better pics to come in Episode 2, hehehe

happy happy

Happy Mother's Day to all my dear friends near and far! I want to share my beautiful roses with you too. John did a great job picking these out - I *love* them. I took them outside this morning and the sun made them glow :)

I believe all women are mothers in one way or another whether they have their own children or do not. I think God gave us the gift of nurturing others and it is a sacred gift. I can't imagine what the world would be like without it.

I am truly grateful I have my 3 maniacal boys, and more thankful than I can express that they are all here with me today. I cannot remember the last time we were all together on Mother's Day, so today is a very rare and special day for me. I plan on milking it for all it's worth and forcing them to take pictures without making any faces. 

I'm going to end with a poem that I wrote for my Davy many years ago when he was about three years old ~

Little flickers

magic light

the tucking of a quilt at night.

silence lingers

silence glows

across the precious face of those

angels here upon the earth

angels, these of priceless worth.

all I wonder without cease

shades of gray amidst belief

pale, then wither in the night

whence before this precious sight.

breathe them deep,

their cherub smell

kiss their velvet

all is well.

~

just checking

This is what I wrote on our whiteboard last week. It's right by all the game systems. Still, it took several days to be noticed. Actually, John already scored major points as I mentioned in my last post. And all I ever ask for for Mother's Day is a poem. I love for my boys to write me a poem :) And since they are of the creative type, fortunately they oblige. Sometimes their poems are funny, sometimes they're silly, sometimes they are actually quite deep and poetic... sometimes they are so precious and heartfelt they make me put my hand over my heart. I cherish each and every poem from my boys - they mean more to me then I could ever possibly express. 

How are you coming with your Mother's Day plans? Just checking... Here are a few ideas if you need a little help:

From my friend Bev's store Hillcrest Cottage on Etsy. Bev draws and paints the sweetest illustrations in her cozy artist's studio. She's always working on something new and worthwhile. Plus, she's the mom of 3 boys too :)

Ellen was one of the first people to follow my blog - I don't even know how she found me. A Canadian photographer, her skills are absolutely exquisite - simply breathtaking - so visit her store The Eye on Etsy. 

My friend Cristi in Florida is a great person and mom and so talented. And her Etsy store 2 If By Sea is constantly being filled with her wonderful jewelry creations. I am wishing she could create full time someday :)

 

My friend Aimee from Artsyville on Etsy (and her delightful, raucous blog) is AWESOME. She puts into colorful words and doodles, the thoughts that are floating around in all our minds but we never know how to capture them.

I grew up with my dear friend Lauren from Harmony Quilts on Etsy. I also have several of her wonderful pieces in my own home. Her designs and skills are impeccable. And all of you know how I feel about peace signs :)

My girl Sara is the most upbeat, colorful mom & wife I know. Full of energy I admit I envy, she is also a talented painter and loves to combine her colorful talent with inspirational scripture and sayings: Sara's Art on Etsy. 

So anyway... there's a little Etsy love for you today - it's been a while. Be good to your moms this week people!

great Mother's Day

What a nice Mother's Day :) First of all, is this the cutest little clay ladybug pot you have ever seen in your entire life or WHAT. My Matthew made it just for me in his art class at school, knowing how much I love ladybugs. The second I saw it, I loved it so much, I wanted to pretend he was still three years old and cradle him in my arms, and kiss his cheeks, and nibble on his neck, and tickle his belly until he laughed his little elf laugh. Oh Matthew, thank you for being so precious.

And speaking of precious things, every year the thing I usually "require" of my family for Mother's Day (I use that term loosely) is that each one of them write me a poem. There are no rules whatsoever, so it can be long, short, serious, witty... whatever. I love them ALL. I keep them in a special folder, and it goes without saying that the poems all my guys have written over the years mean the entire world to me. Here is Davy's poem this year:

If time was a stone that I cast from my hand,

And the ripples were love from the water it hit,

I'd jump in the pond and fish the stone out,

And hold to it's nurture,

In case

Of a drought.

My mother's the energy that dwells within ponds,

And had she not held me I would've drowned,

And if she'd not been so transparently clean,

My stone,

That I cast...

I wouldn't have seen.

Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Oh Davy - thank you, thank you.
Here I am looking like a yenta. I was even having a good hair day, but you can't tell. Davy hates how he's smiling... look how sweet Matthew looks. I just love my boys. We never heard from Daniel in Ethiopia and we miss him halfway around the world. But I had an awesome day and am so grateful to be a mom. I hope all of you had an amazing Mother's Day too.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy, Happy Mother's Day to one and all! When you really think about it, deep inside we are all mothers in one way or another - are we not? Please enjoy God's lovely, lovely flowers - and I wish for you a day every bit as wonderful as you are :)