Each year for Mother’s Day we go to my Mom’s church.  It tickles her pink to see how many pews she can pack out with her family present on Mother’s Day.  The past two years, Mom has managed to have the most family members present on Mother’s Day of anyone in the service.

Shortly before celebrating MY first Mother’s Day as a Mom, Hubs asked me what I wanted to do for Mother’s Day.  Surprised that he would ask, I said, “Well, naturally, I want to go to church with my Mom.”  He said, “I know you want to honor your Mom for Mother’s Day.  What do you want to do for you?”  I laughed and said, “Going to church with my Mom on Mother’s Day is all I need.  As long as my Mom is with us, and as long as it’s in my power to do so, I want to be sitting in the pew with Mom at church on Mother’s Day. It pleases her, so it pleases me.”  We haven’t missed a Mother’s Day service with my Mom since we’ve been married.  Because Mother’s Day is always spent with my Mom, Hubs has become increasingly creative in how he and the kids celebrate me for Mother’s Day.

This morning when I got up I headed toward the coffee pot, like any other morning.  It was the first time in a week that I’d had a full nights sleep, since Hubs gets up with the baby on the weekend.  As I walked toward the living room, Hubs met me in the hall and gently turned me back around.  “Get dressed,” he said.  “It’s a bit cool out, so you’re going to want to wear jeans.”

I walked back into our room and got dressed, jeans and all.  Then I headed toward the coffee pot again, since it was my original destination.  As I was walking toward the coffee pot, Hubs told the kids, “Tell Mommy bye, she’s going to be gone for a few hours,” as he steered me away from the coffee pot and toward the door.

“Can’t I get coffee first?”  I asked.

“No,” he said, as he was gently nudging me toward the door.

I literally started crying.  “I just want some coffee.”  I said.  To which he replied, “You don’t need it yet,” and told me to get in the van.  I climbed in the van a little dazed and saw a note telling me to go to Tony’s Donuts, get a delicious coffee, a yummy donut, and chill out for a bit…

When I took the $10 bill out, it said, “When you arrive at Tony’s, txt me and let me know you are there.”  Smiling, I drove to Tony’s Donuts. If you’re not from St. Louis, you probably don’t know Tony’s Donuts.  Suffice it to say, they have the best donuts this side of the Mississippi!

When I arrived at Tony’s Donuts, I texted Hubs to say I had arrived. He texted back and said, “I put some new books in your kindle account.  Enjoy browsing them while drinking your coffee and eating your donut.”

The books he had sent were all on my Amazon wishlist.  Books that I wanted to read, and was waiting to purchase until I had some spare change.  SO sweet.

After I’d finished my breakfast, and a chapter of The Mentor Leader, Hubs texted and said, “Why don’t you finish up and get back in the van and drive to Kohl’s.  When you arrive there, txt me to say you have arrived.”  So, I jumped in the van and drove to Kohl’s.  After three cups of coffee at Tony’s, I was fully operational.

Upon arrival, I texted Hubs again.  He instructed me to look in the cooler in the van for an envelope with a V on it, and to open it and follow the instructions. The envelope contained a note and a $50 Kohl’s gift card, with instructions to go buy myself some clothes for this summer.

I had to chuckle, because Hubs knows that as a general rule I don’t spend money on myself.  I always shop for others.  So, I was off to shop for myself by myself.  After scoring six tops and a pair of shorts from Kohl’s, plus $10 in Kohl’s cash for later shopping, I headed back to the van.  Once in it, I texted him again.  He instructed me to locate a CD and put it in the CD player and follow the instructions after the song.  On the CD was the song One Heartbeat At A Time by Steven Curtis Chapman.  At this point, I had a fresh batch of tears that had absolutely nothing to do with fear of caffeine deprivation.  The song was followed by recordings of Mister and Sister saying why they loved Mommy, and then gave instructions for me to drive to the local outlet mall and text him when I got there.

Once I arrived at the mall, I texted him to say I was there, and he texted back that in the book in Sister’s carseat was another envelope and to open it. Inside the Skippyjon Jones book was $10 cash and a note to go use the $10 at Glitter to make myself shine even more and instructions on where to find another envelope…

I smiled because he knows Glitter is my favorite dollar jewelry store. I grabbed the other envelope and opened it. It had more cash and instructions to go buy more clothes for this summer.  It also had a picture of Little Miss that said Happy Mother’s Day.

Seriously?  I just spent $50 bucks on myself, and now he is sending me to spend more?  I headed into the store and started browsing the racks at Burlington, where I found a beautiful dress that fit.  I bought it and headed around the mall, stopping in several stores.  I stopped in Reebok and bought two more t-shirts. As I was rounding the corner, Hubs texted and said if I got hungry before I finished shopping to go to the van and text him again.  I was famished by this point, so I did just that. He gave me instructions on where to find a final envelope.

Inside it was a $25 Darden gift card with instructions to go enjoy a quiet and peaceful lunch.

I drove to Olive Garden first.  It was cram packed with Mother’s Day shoppers and had a crazy ridiculous line.  So then I drove to Red Lobster.  The wait time for a single person at Red Lobster was 25+ minutes.  So, I texted Hubs explained the crazy lines and said I’d like to save the gift card so we could all go out together.  I said I’d love to come home, and that the kids could make my day by making me their best PB&J sandwich.

They were more than happy to make Mommy lunch for once.

Here’s a peak at my Mother’s Day Haul.

For Mother’s Day, my husband gave me five books from my wish list, a quiet breakfast with a chance to read part of one of those books,a Kohl’s gift card, a CD with a very special song and even more special recordings from Mister and Sister, a Mother’s Day card from Little Miss, a wad of cash, permission to go shopping for me (and only me), the entire morning to myself, and my kids made me the best PB&J sandwich I have ever had.

Even more than that, though, my husband made me feel valued and honored as a wife and mother, because he took the time and thought ahead to put all of this into place.  He showed his love for me, and help the kids show their love for me, in a way that will not soon be forgotten.  I’ve only been a Mom for five years, but those five years have been some of the best years of my life.  And just as Steven Curtis Chapman’s song says, there are nights when I wonder if anything worth doing had gotten done.  In the most fantastic way, my husband reminded me how blessed I truly am, and that I am changing the world, one little heartbeat at a time.

I have the most wonderful husband on the face of the planet.  I don’t know what I did to deserve him, but I’m sure glad I did.

If you’re a Mom, I hope you have an awesome Mother’s Day.  I know I did!