Commentary By Danielle Pelkey

The North Jefferson News



Mother’s Day is just around the bend, so this is the perfect time to talk about mothers.

Before becoming a mother, I had no idea. I guess I could just stop right there and that would make an excellent column.

You really don’t understand what a mother does until you become one. You probably didn’t notice all of the times she woke up in the middle of the night just to check in on you as you slept. Why? Because moms do those kinds of things.

I check in on Raygan (if she’s actually sleeping in her own bed) at least twice a night. There is no real reason other than the satisfaction of knowing that my baby is resting comfortably and is safe. Anna still wakes up every two hours, so I know she’s OK.

Moms also do a lot of cooking that goes unnoticed. Even if they only cook one or two nights a week, that is a lot of work. There’s also the cleaning, gripes and complaints of it not being the perfect meal that someone wished to have that night. It’s really quite a big deal.

Moms also do a lot of taxi services. I, personally, haven’t had too much of an issue with this yet, but I know it’s coming. I can remember my mom driving us all over the place on Saturdays when we were in school and she would just exhale (huff) and take off.

This is especially true if you are the “cool” mom. You know, the one who always has extra teens at her house and cooks really great food so that they will keep coming over. My mom had to be the coolest mom ever because whenever we had a sleep over (which was every other weekend) she would make waffles and then set the table with whipped cream, peaches, strawberries and confectioner sugar. Come to think about it, I think I’m spending the night with mom this weekend if it means I’ll get a breakfast like that.

Moms also take care of dads. Oh, the dad issues. Dads are usually laid back until that one thing sets them off. Moms are the calming voice of reason that reminds dad that in just a few years they will look back and laugh at the time his daughter tried to wash his car with paint. See how funny it is now?

Moms take care of boo-boos, give hugs and kisses freely and wipe away the tears that come after boyfriend/girlfriend break ups. You’ll never truly understand what mom does until you become one for yourself. I guess boys will never understand what all a mom does.

As I sat in the recliner this weekend, holding my two daughters while they slept, I couldn’t control the tears that came just thinking about how much I loved that moment.

Not only that, but also thinking about moments like this that my mom had and her mom had. Being a mom is a glorious gift from God. Make sure you see it that way and enjoy it every day.