Happy Mothers' Day

My apostrophe placement is intentional! Happy day to all the mothers.

Happy day to the moms exhausted from yesterday's beach escapades (SalGal and me), to the moms who have been up with sick kids all night, to the moms who are sick themselves. To the moms who take joy in their motherly calling. To the moms who think they stink at mothering and sometimes wonder if their kids would be better off without them. Happy day to the perfect moms, wherever you are, and to the moms who sometimes yell and sometimes spank and sometimes run away and drive around for hours. Happy day to the moms who are dying to leave the house, and to the moms who just wish they could be home. Happy day to the moms who won't go home from Mutual or Enrichment until after 9 p.m., because they just can't face the battle of putting their kids to bed yet again. Happy day to the moms who love to read aloud, to the moms who do PTA, to the moms who let their kids cook with them, and to the moms who hate and despise any or all of those mom-ly activities.

Happy day to the moms of missionaries and members of the armed forces. Happy day to the moms whose children are grown and gone. Happy day to the moms who can't get the darn kids out of the house. Happy day to the grandmas, God bless them forever.

Happy day to the moms whose children are only dreams, who have waited and prayed and administered shots and been let down over and over. Happy day to the moms whose dreams have finally come true and to the moms who are almost ready to give up dreaming.

Happy day to the moms who never planned to be moms so young, so poor or so alone. Happy day to the moms courageous enough to place their babies in other families where they will find stability. Happy day to the moms who will choose to parent their children themselves, anyway.

Happy day to the aunties, the doctors and nurses, the Primary teachers, the daycare providers, the schoolteachers, the dear neighbors and friends without whom the work of mothering would be nearly impossible, at least for me.

Happy day, if it's possible, to the moms whose children have died, who know they will never be the same again and have to live with that loss every day. And to the moms whose children are struggling enough that they sometimes wonder if losing them completely might be easier.

Happy Mothers' Day to all the mothers. Motherhood is not just the most important job in the world; it's a calling from God. Motherhood is more than an occupation; it's part of who you are, and that is true for any woman in any circumstance. Motherhood transcends what you do each day, whether that is changing diapers or changing this world. "Mother" is one half of the title of the goddess who exemplifies what you will become. May your Mothers' Day reflect the other half of that title -- the Heavenly.