Happy Mother's Day!

This is the homemade card that Daddy and Amanda made for me. Who knew Dave had such craftiness in him? I love it! This is far better than any $5 Hallmark card they could have bought.

I especially love the pink tree, which Daddy said is a replica of the flowering cherry tree that I gave him for Father's Day four years ago.

The girls also gave me a poem accompanied by their handprints, a birdhouse that Amanda had painted at preschool, and a hanging basket of beautiful bright pink petunias. Last night Dave took me to celebrate at the Barker Tavern in Scituate, where we enjoyed prime rib and seafood bouillabaisse.

This afternoon we are hosting a Mother's Day Surf & Turf cookout, with my mother-in-law, Jason, Angelina and Angelina's parents. Lobster, steak, chicken wings, corn and all the fixin's are on the menu.

I'd like to extend an extra special Happy Mother's Day greeting to my own mom, "Jamma Jo." Mom, thanks for being a super mother. I appreciate all that you've ever done for us, even if I didn't fully understand the magnitude of your sacrifices and hard work until I was an adult. Being a mom is definitely the hardest job I've ever had, but also the most rewarding. I'm sure you'd say the same. You have definitely influenced my style of parenting, and I hope I'm doing as good a job at this Mom gig as you did with us. You're the best mother I could have asked for. I love you!

Happy Mother's Day to all of you mothers!