Planning a Mother’s Day that is unforgettable does not have to be all about spending money on flowers and sweet treats. In fact, according to the Census Bureau, the number of florist establishments have decreased between 2005 and 2015 by 36.5 percent. So if not with manufactured gifts, what can we do to show our moms how much we appreciate them?
Many moms revel in the gift of watching their children grow, succeed, and create. Below are what some local mothers said they cherish the most about this full-time job:
“My favorite part is seeing my girls grow up and put into action all the things I’ve instilled in them and being successful. It’s just a blessing to see all of those things come in fruition because these are the things you pray for for your children and to see them put it in action, that’s definitely one of the best parts about being a mother.” —Lashanda Ward, mother of two
“The most special Mother’s Day was when I got a card from my stepchildren that said ‘Happy Mother’s Day, you are special and mean a lot to us.’ Stepparents have a hard job. The day my stepchildren recognized all that I did and do made it all worth it.” — Diane Camire-Boenitz, mother of one, stepmother of two
“The best gift I have received was completely done by my children when they were ten and twelve years old. They put letters in frames, that they bought with their own money, along with pictures they chose to print. Nothing has ever meant so much to me. These I will cherish for the rest of our lives.” — Tiffany McPherson, mother of two
“One Mother’s Day, my son was maybe a year old, the girls decided to help that morning. They made me breakfast, dressed themselves and their brother. Everything was good until I walked into the kitchen to see my son eating out of a container of marshmallow fluff. He had it from head to toe. When the girls were asked why they gave him the fluff, they answered ‘we didn’t want to wake you and he wouldn’t shut up. We tried peanut butter, but he didn’t like it. He has been quiet for almost 45 minutes with the fluff.’ It took me about that long to clean him.” — Roni Bell, mother of four
“My oldest, when he was five, told me he loved me more than the flowers love the sun. It always makes me giggle when I think of it. My youngest likes to give shoulder rubs if he thinks I’m stressed about something.” — Sherry Collins, mother of two
“From the first moment they were born, and the amazement of realizing that you created another human being, to the lifetime moments of watching them see or do something for the first time, and the reflective moments of realizing that all of the energy, love, and wisdom you have given them has helped shape them into the smart, confident, freethinking, creative people they have become.” — Melissa Beckman, mother of three
