A Tribute to Mothers Everywhere

Black & white photo
(from left to right):
Seated: Michelle, Rose (on Mom's lap),

Mom, Vivian

Standing: Melody

Not pictured are Grace (youngest of 7)

and 2 older brothers, Ray and Paul.

Fast forward 38 years later...

Colored photo

(from left to right):

Back Row: Grace, Melody, Rose

Front Row: Vivian, Mom, Michelle

Today, four out of five sisters are

"mommies" with 10 children between us.

A Tribute to Mothers

-Anonymous

This is for all the mothers
Who have sat in rocking chairs
For hours on end soothing crying babies
Who can't be comforted.

This is for all the mothers
Who show up at work
With spit-up in their hair

Milk stains on their blouses

And diapers in their purse.

This is for all the mothers
Who run carpools and make cookies
And sew Halloween costumes.
And all the mothers who DON'T.

This is for the mothers
Who gave birth to babies they'll never see.
And the mothers who took those babies
And gave them homes.

This is for the mothers
Whose priceless art collections
Are hanging on their refrigerator doors.

This is for all the mothers

Who froze their buns on metal bleachers

At football or baseball games
And that when their kids asked,
"Did you see me, Mom?" they could say,
"Of course, I wouldn't have missed it for the world,"
And mean it.

This is for all the mothers
Who go hungry, so their children can eat.

This is for all the mothers
Who read "Goodnight, Moon" twice a night for a year.
And then read it again, "Just one more time."

This is for all the mothers
Who taught their children to tie their shoelaces
Before they started school.
And for all the mothers who opted for Velcro instead.

This is for all the mothers
Who teach their sons to cook
And their daughters to sink a jump shot.

This is for all the mothers
Whose children have gone astray,
Who can't find the words to reach them.

This is for all the mothers
Of the victims of recent school shootings
And the mothers of those who did the shooting.

This is for all the mothers
Who taught their children to be peaceful
And now pray they come home safely from a war.

The emotions of motherhood are universal
And so our thoughts are for young mothers
Stumbling through diaper changes and sleep deprivation.
And for mature mothers learning to let go.
For working mothers and stay-at-home mothers.
Single mothers and married mothers.
Mothers with money, mothers without.

In the end we can only do the best we can.
Tell them every day that we love them.
And pray.