Sunday, May 9, 2010



One son is a lawyer,
Two daughters are nurses,
One daughter had at last count, several new purses.
One son is a waiter,
One son chases thieves,
One son was at last sighting, raking my leaves.
A daughter works in classrooms, teaching her kids to read
While another teaches English, and directs kids with speed.
The two engineers stay busy, are thankful for jobs,
And strangely enough, we haven't any Bobs.
There's the son who's not really a son at all
But he is the one who placed that Mother's Day call!
My eldest is graduating Law School in May
Of which of these I am proudest
I really can't say.
For being a mother of many is tough,
And losing a baby was certainly rough!
For each child is special and each has their flaws
But with each married addition came incredible in-laws!

There is a saying , which started me thinking:
Better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.
So I started making a few Proverbs of my own for this Mother's Day 2010.

Better to have labored in pain
Than never to have felt a child move in your womb.

Better to have stayed up all night waiting for a child to come home
Than never to have been kissed good night with snuggles.

Better to have no phone calls on Mother's Day
Than have no cell phone numbers to memorize.

Better to be called Grammy
Than to stay young forever.

Better to stay home so as not to play favorites
Than to have no favorites to choose from.

Better leftovers from Friday with love in your heart
Than steak on a plate with no love in sight.

Better to have been left by yourself with children and bills
Than to leave Love behind and head for the hills.

Better to thank God for what you have
Than to complain for what you have not.

Better to share your stories along with your imperfections
Than to force kids to discover your humanity suddenly with no warning!

I actually thought today that perhaps I wasn't too old for more children. Now my own kids would be screaming right now: STOP THE MADNESS!! but there is such an inner desire to keep loving and giving love and receiving it back again , I wonder how to function when days like today occur.

Fortunately, along with the thoughts come the feelings of utter exhaustion, so sanity remains intact.

The emails, Facebook posts, written words on beautiful cards and mugs, scrapbooks, poems, phone calls and none of the above, the very essence of the child themselves, these are the things that make me bow down and worship God, the Creator and Giver and Sustainer of Life. Thank you Heavenly Father for giving ME such beautiful children and grandchildren:

Paul, Allison, Steve,Rebecca, Joel,Margie,Aric,Rachel,Adam,Julie,Joshua,Andrew
Eliot,Simon,Jesse,Nora,Ava,Isabel,Ethan,Bianca,Aidan,Evelyn,Luke....

See? Not that many.

2 comments:

maryb said...

Thank you Susan! Your writing and poetry are astounding and I am so thankful being your friend, because then, I get to read them :) I have had the same feelings that you mention about having more children and then "reality" hits!! We are kindred spirits!!

Anonymous said...

Ha! Got your mother's gift for poetry! Very nice!