The value of a mother...

This morning when I checked my email, I noticed a story on Yahoo's homepage...

you probably know the one, they run it every year around this time...

it makes the 6 o'clock news and maybe the newspaper, and then you don't generally hear about it anymore.

Heck, I can't even find the link on Yahoo anymore and it's been all of 8 hours since I first looked at it.

It's the story about the what a stay-at-home mom is worth...where they roll out the big number and you sort of gasp...and then you realize that's so not even close to the truth that you sort of laugh.

Or maybe that's just me.

This year, I think the number was about $140,000 a year for stay at home moms and about $70,000 or so in addition to their salaries for moms who also work outside the home(again, if I could find the link I'd share it and verify those numbers).

Like I said...so not even close.

Maybe that's what my time and effort are worth for any given year...but I really do look at being Mom as a job with an eternal outcome.  The legacy of a mom is worth far more than any paycheck could ever come close to.  I have been blessed to have so many women in my life who seemed to understand that - my own Mom, both of my grandmothers, my mother-in-law and beyond. 

And I know that my actions as Mom will extend through my own children as they grow up and become parents, as well as for the generations beyond them.  I find that a little big scary and incredibly inspiring at the same time.

This legacy of mothering I will leave my children is so important to me - it's why I strive daily to be a better mother...it's why we're choosing to homeschool next year...it's what keeps me going on rough days and through difficult  stages.  It's why I try to be intentional in the words I choose, the daily discipline that is necessary, the snuggle times, the silly times and -of course- during the teaching times. 

I also know that while my actions as a mom are eternal...they do make a huge difference right here and right now.  Having endured an extended illness recently, I've seen what happens to in our family when Mom's unable to fulfill her regular duties.  Even though Tom and the kids stepped up and took care of so many of my normal chores, things just didn't roll as smoothly as usual. 

There was a level of stress that we aren't used to.

And while Tom is most certainly the head of our family, I've come to see my role as the heart as equally important.  So often, it's Mom who steers the family...if Mom's eating healthy, the family is eating healthy...if Mom's stressed out, the family is stressed out...if Mom's feeling peace, so is the rest of the family. 

I am so very thankful to celebrate this day with my little family.  I've been showered with cards and handmade gifts from the kids.  My Mother's Day wishes were for chocolate cake and to not have to cook or do dishes, and they're all coming true.  After the last few weeks, I'm happy to celebrate it as a day to reclaim my role as mom, to step back into the normal...or whatever normal is for this week.

We baked and decorated the cake earlier this weekend.  Caleb has been asking to "really decorate a cake" for months so I picked up a cheap little pastry bag and tip set at the grocery store and they went to town.  I'd say there's about 5 pounds of frosting on the cake, but it's perfect.

I'm not exactly sure what everything is supposed to be on it - the ones with the colored dots are flowers, Hanna wrote Mom and I think the two big purple spots at the top are hearts. 

And a quick picture I love, because it reminded me so much of sitting at the bar at my Grandma's house and watching her decorate cakes...

I have to share the frosting recipe, because it's about the best buttercream I've ever had (and I'm a huge fan of frosting!).  I made it the first time for Caleb's birthday cake a few weeks ago and made it a little too thin...which of course means I went a little too thick this time.  Next time, it should be perfect!

Happy Mother's Day!

Buttercream Dream Icing (courtesty of The Repressed Pastry Chef)
Ingredients
1 stick salted butter - room temperature
1 stick unsalted butter - room temperature
1 cup shortening
1 tablespoon Clear Vanilla extract
2 pounds confectioner's sugar (powdered sugar, 10x)
4-6 tablespoons very cold milk

Directions
Cream the butter and shortening in the bowl of an electric or stand mixer. Add the clear vanilla extract and combine well. Begin adding in the sugar and mixing thoroughly after each addition. After all of the sugar has been added and mixed thoroughly, begin adding the very cold milk... one tablespoon at a time, combining very well after each addition (mixer on medium-high to high speed) until you reach the desired consistency. 

Note: I half this.

Comments

[Grandma Andy]

Hanna and Caleb - your great-grandma would be proud of the awesome job you two did on your mom's cake. Happy Mother's Day Sam!!