Happy Mother's Day!

I want to wish each of you Mother's out there a very happy Mother's Day! The greatest gift I've ever received was my little daughter. She tests me, she keeps me grounded, she loves me unconditionally, she renews my faith at times, and she makes me laugh. My Mom is gone this year but, I still remember all the wonderful times we shared and blessing she was in my life.

Hug your mama's today and tell them how much they mean to you. Don't just hand them their gift or their card and say it. Tell them just how much they've helped shape the person you are!

Longing For Autumn Days

If you live in the desert, or somewhere where the seasons don't really change, then you may know my sadness. I grew up in a place where the seasons changed. You got to see trees in their cycles. The fires of the leaves, then the shedding. The growth of buds, then flowers, and ultimately the lush green that becomes the tree.

It's always bittersweet to me this time of year. It's my time of year, if I can call it mine. I loved feeling the air turn cooler and smelling the difference in it. For some reason, I'm on this nostalgic kick every year. I know when winter comes, that feeling is gone and the dark, long days ahead aren't very fun. Where I grew up, it was rainy, not really snowy. Sometimes it would though and I would sit in the window many times a day and just look at the glistening white. That's another post though.

The Fall reminds me of Summer days ending, school beginning, holidays beginning, warm clothes wearing, and fire starting. I remember chilly, rainy Halloweens, and pumpkins rotting on front porches. It reminds me of my life in Oregon, with my Mom. With my family. I have a new one now and more often than not, I don't think about those days. They were difficult, beautiful, hopeful, and heartbreaking.

I mourn my Mother, and my childhood today. Promises I made to myself and some that I've broken. When we grieve, it's so very different from person to person. I often wondered what I would do when my parent's died, especially mom. I wondered if I would be in shock or would I just weep uncontrollably for awhile, and then watch it fade?

This has been a process and it's only been a few months. I'm finding myself doing the normal things, then gripped with tears. Now that it's my favorite time of year, I'm thinking about her and all the things that made her special. I can see, it's going to be a long road for me. A process. I can't expect anything of myself. There will be days of tears and mourning, days of prayer, days of joy, and days of anger. There is no right or wrong when it comes to mourning, there is just you and your thoughts.

Grief And Business Of The Day

This will be mainly for me to vent but, also just to talk a little about my mom. My head has been in a cloud for the last couple of months and it's really taken a toll. I've been living out of a suitcase and boxes, I've been frustrated about money(which is pretty much all the time anyway) due to buying a home and bills. My mom is gone and I really haven't come to grips with it yet. There are days, like today where my heart is absolutely broken.

Looking at photos, I was reduced to tears and had to pick myself back up, because my sweet little two year old consoled me. I haven't been a very good mom the last month. I have been so busy that I haven't really had time or patience for her. I've been snapping at her and really just in my own mind. I feel terrible about it later, every time!

I've done so much already since we moved into this place and yet, it feels like nothing has been accomplished. I've done a lot of it on my own so it's a much slower pace. My kitchen is half painted but, we got more stuff out of storage so I had to start all over again with that stuff. I can't wait until at least I can find my things.

I guess I still haven't gotten my bearings yet. I feel like everything I'm doing is up in the air on some level. The house has been up in the air for about a year now since it's not completely set-up yet. We are trying to have a baby and that stress is bad some months and fine in others. I know it will happen, just hope it doesn't take terribly long. I'm getting older, my daughter is getting older. My mom passed away and I still haven't begun to grieve. I've been too busy and yet there are moments when it grips me and knocks me down.

Like I said, this is more of a vent. Just putting it down so that I can let it go. I think it's worthwhile to show humanness on it's most basic level. Many of us share very little and yet grief and stress are all part of life. God has been helping me in my prayers to him. He calms me when I'm frustrated. He allows me to put my burdens at his feet. He also hears the prayers of others that offered on my behalf and I can't ask for any more!

All Moms Go To Heaven-Review *CLOSED*

I found Jean's site, All Moms Go To Heaven , looking for some Mother's Day goodies not long ago and was intrigued mostly by her story. It's really sweet! I also really like the brand she has created and what it represents.

OK, so a little about the symbol and saying "All Moms Go To Heaven". After she gave birth to her first child, she told her mom that she "must be going to heaven for this". Her Mother replied with "All Moms Go To Heaven" and it really stuck with her. She also had a close friend whose daughter was injured in an accident. The friend was understandably upset and stated to her "didn't you tell me All Moms Go To Heaven?" She decided then that she would try to make a venue and logo that would honor moms every day.

Jean has created a few different logos for her products. There's a silver metallic halo over a large "M" with "All Moms Go To Heaven" printed underneath. There's also items for Grandma's and kids to wear, in fun colors. She has a number of items to choose from including T-shirts, aprons, spa gifts, tanks, and hats.

I was fortunate to receive the Dupont Teflon cotton apron. It's 100% machine washable, full size, adjustable neck strap and waist ties, and basically one size fits all. There's two front pockets so you could use this for cooking, crafts, washing babies, you name it. I love it and am using it for my cooking and dish washing since I can be quite a mess while working in the kitchen. ha ha

Jean keeps a blog that celebrates mostly all things "Mom". What a wonderful cause to have a celebration! She even has an entry form for people to nominate their Mom or an awesome Mom on her main website. If yours is selected there is a gift basket to win! Jean is the Mother of two children and is another "mompreneur" that I raise a glass to today!

Buy It

You can purchase Mother's Day gifts on All Mom's Go To Heaven website or amazon.com

Win It

Jean has been gracious enough to offer one of my readers their very own All Mom's Go To Heaven apron! I'm so excited!

Rules

Please go to All Mom's Go To Heaven website and tell me your favorite item in the store. This must be done first or you will not be eligible.

This contest is open to everyone, please leave your email address or I won't be able to notify you if you won.

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Contest will end May 7,2009 at 11:59 pm AZ time. There is no guarantee that this will be received by Mother's Day. Thanks for entering!

Go check out more exciting giveaways, including my own at the Ultimate Blog Carnival