I know I’m a bit behind on this…but it was Mother’s Day=Mom gets to do what she wants=No blogging, and more sleep I got my very first homemade gift! It is a precious coaster with Anna Grace’s fingers as the flower petals and bugs.

I also got a magical little rose that just so happened to make doing the dishes a little more enjoyable. I could use one of those magical roses a bit more often.

I don’t have any actual pictures from Mother’s Day since Aaron and I went away for the night to Lake Texoma to celebrate our 3 yr anniversary. I’m fairly new at this mom thing and forgot all about my own day when I made the plans and about my Mom’s Mother’s Day when I left her with my children! Thanks Mom!

On Sunday we acknowledge the noble role of motherhood, which is easy. Mothers are the givers and guardians of life. They not only risk their own lives to create new ones, but nurture and care for their families — for generations — and selflessly address their own needs last. As a mother, I’ve realized so much of what we do isn’t because we’re the only ones able, nor because we actually want to. Rather we are often the only ones who anticipate problems and actually see what needs to be done.Mothers make the pediatric appointments, pick up the dry cleaning and put away the holiday decorations. It follows logically that mothers are also the most likely to take on difficult end-of-life responsibilities for their parents, spouses and other loved ones. And they do. Though we give the gift of birth and life, death and dying are also very much mothers’ issues. We are often the ones who make healthcare choices for those we love, when they no longer can.But our natural affinity is only part of the reason. The fact is, women live longer. On average, we live six years longer than men. And most states designate a dying patient’s spouse as the decision-maker in the absence of an appointed agent or proxy. Most married women outlive their spouses. The maternal tendency to take care of others means the last face each of us is likely to see as we die is a woman’s.

Moms. They birth us, raise us, and give us wise financial advice along the way (read our compilation of moms’ money tips here).How can we possibly repay them?Well, sometimes it’s not about the money. Mother’s day is coming up on May 8th, and this year, we suggest gifting something priceless rather than pricey.Remember when you used to bring home Mother’s Day cards pasted up with glitter and macaroni? Or the poem you scrawled in inch-high letters? Breakfast in bed with half-cooked pancakes?Your mom probably cherished those earnest tokens of your affection (and we’re guessing are still holding onto some of them). Instead of spending money on traditional flowers or a random tchotchke this year, we suggest channeling your youthful crafty spirit to create an adult version of an innocent message as simple as “I Love You.”