For everyone who's a mother or ever had one

My blogger friend Molly helped contribute some of her amazing photography to this video, which was created by author Kelly Corrigan and published on the Today Show website in addition to Youtube. It's short, worth a couple minutes of your time, and exceedingly lovely. Yea Molly!



I'm dedicating this video's presence on my site to mothers everywhere. The ones I know and the ones I don't (but especially you who visit here). The ones who work for a paycheck and the ones who work for hugs (many do both).

For all the meals and snacks you make and all the times you've tried to get those kids to eat a few more veggies or choose the apple over the chips. For all the times you've spent an hour or more producing a meal only to have it disappear in ten minutes or congeal on the plate.

For all the cleaning up you do that no one seems to notice, because it feels like one woman against the volcano. And all the times you decide to just let it go.

For all the noses and hineys you've wiped and all the tears you've kissed away.

For all the craft projects you've tripped over and tiny Lego pieces you've stepped on -- and for all the times you bit your tongue instead of saying what you were *really* thinking.

For all the hours you've spent behind the wheel of the car, and for all of those hours you've listened to in-depth analyses of Star Wars or told stories about Thomas the Tank Engine instead of improving your mind.

For all the times you've asked for JUST THREE MINUTES of privacy in the bathroom.

For all the book you read aloud, and all the sentences you never get to finish because someone has something really urgent to tell you about an entirely unrelated matter that most certainly cannot wait three more seconds.

For all the times you've chosen to laugh instead of yell or cry, and wished someone were there to cheer you on.

For being beautiful the way you are, bad hair days and all.

For the times you think "I cannot do this," and then you do anyway.

For all the pictures you take, and all the scrapbooks that never get made.

For never being perfect, but always learning. For knowing when you need to take a break. For modeling humility by apologizing when you'd rather walk over hot coals. For getting up in the morning and starting over again, believing that a new day is a new beginning.

For marveling at the wonder of who these little people are, and who they are becoming -- even when it's different from what you expected. For believing in the best you see in them.  For modeling grace by learning to receive it yourself.

For love, in all its messes, its inconveniences, its growing pains, its tender mercies you knew nothing of before accepting this grand mission we call motherhood.

Happy Mother's Day to all!