I had the wonderful pleasure of spending a few days visiting my mom during Easter. As expected, when I walked into her home, it was filled with bunnies, sparkly eggs, and all sorts of festive décor. Even the bathrooms welcomed guests with bunny figurines and “Happy Easter” hand towels. It makes me smile just thinking about it.
The fun thing is, she does this for every holiday, shamrocks for St. Patrick’s Day, hearts galore for Valentine’s, stars and stripes for every patriotic occasion, and even houndstooth and a crimson “A” for fall (but we love her anyway…just kidding!).
One of my favorite things to witness when visiting my mom is her time in the Bible. She diligently stars and underlines passages she wants to remember and revisit. During my most recent visit, she shared one of her devotionals with me.
As I looked at the page, nearly everything was underlined, stars marked every paragraph, and some phrases were even double underlined. I couldn’t help but laugh and ask her why she underlined almost every word. Her response was simple and perfect: “Because every word is important.”
In this month’s feature, The Things We Love Most About Mothers, I found myself reflecting on the many things I love about my mom. It also highlights what children truly find important. I couldn’t tell you what my mom gave me for my birthdays growing up, but I vividly remember how excited she would get, decorating with simple streamers and inexpensive signs, making the day feel special. I don’t recall specific, profound conversations, but I do remember that she was always there with a hug, always ready to make us laugh and be silly.
As you read this feature, I hope you’re able to reflect on what children love most about their moms, and maybe even feel a little less pressure. It’s not the fancy vacations, expensive gifts, or even the quantity of time spent together. It’s the small, meaningful moments that leave the biggest impression.
Speaking of memory-making moments, with summer just on the horizon, you may be feeling the pressure to plan a big vacation or fill every week with camps. Not only can those be expensive, but many families don’t have unlimited time off from work or other obligations. The good news is that Shannon Dean offers some wonderful ideas in Inexpensive Micro Summer Adventures for Busy and Working Families. It’s just more proof that you don’t need unlimited resources to create a summer full of fun and meaningful memories.
For even more ways to make memories, be sure to check out this year’s VBS Guide, where you’ll find a variety of Vacation Bible School opportunities, many of them free! And if you’re ready to start the fun before school is even out, don’t miss our family calendar, filled with local events happening throughout May.
Speaking of doing fun things, I had the pleasure of being a guest on Voices United in Education podcast! We had a great time discussing the importance of community and some of the trials and triumphs of parenting. Episode 199 will drop May 26th. Find it on your favorite podcast app and make sure you add Voices United in Education to your listening library. They cover a wide variety of topics and guests. I hope you will tune in!
Wishing all the moms a happy, peace-filled Mother’s Day!
Author: Lynn Knighton
Lynn has called the Gulf area home since 2006 with her husband Brad and their 3 daughters. Following the sale of her Abrakadoodle franchise, Lynn still wanted to serve families and help them thrive. Becoming the Publisher of Greater Pensacola Parents was the perfect opportunity. Now she invests into family's lives each month by providing the area's #1 go-to resource for moms and dads.
