What I Love About my Mother Bear

Brother Bear returned from Pre-K on Friday with a few Mother Bear's Day gifts.  First, he presented me with this:

Then, he handed me a card entitled "What I Love About my Mama Bear".  Together with his teacher, he had come up with a list of reasons why he loves me.  Here is what he said:

• She helps me clean the house
• She fixes my breakfast
• She picks wildflowers for me
• She lets me have breakfast in bed when I'm sick
• She loves me

I know.  I hear the collective, "awwwwww" across the land.  

Inspired by his precious list, and some blogging friends who recently wrote about Mother Bears (this one and this one), I decided to create a list myself.

Here goes.

What I Love About My Mother Bear

• She has always been there for me.  No matter what the occasion, My Mother Bear is there.  Dance recitals (even when SOMEONE had to realize that this was not my thing), piano recitals (whether I fell or not..), soccer games, drama performances (all 11 high school productions), bear cub births (even if she had to make a mad dash for Sugar Bear!).  You name it, she is there.  Her presence was/is  a gift.  It isn't necessary.  But it demonstrates to me that she loves and supports me entirely.  
• She puts up with me.  And, Lord knows, I wasn't always a perfect little cub.  My strong will.  My passion.  My sass and independence.  My knack for opening my mouth when I should just keep it closed.  Yep.  She has put up with a lot.  And, now that this blog is here, I think she's going to have to put up with a lot more.  She has showed me that love is unflinching - unfailing, even if the one being loved doesn't always deserve it!
• She taught me about "chocolate and vanilla".  When it comes to opinions, My Mother Bear has always said, "That's why God made chocolate and vanilla".  In other words, every one is entitled to their own opinion.  With that statement, she gave me the freedom to express my opinions without fear.  I knew that I could develop my own thoughts and ideas, and she would support me.
• She nurtured my unique qualities and taught me to be myself.  She saw the "sparkle" in each of her bear cubs and used her maternal magic to make that sparkle shine.  She realized early on that I had a "flair for the dramatic", and encouraged that by putting me in classes and giving me opportunities to express myself.  She never flinched (okay, maybe not in front of me) when I wanted my hair cut uneven (short on one side, long on the other) or wore the most unsightly combination of neon colors to school one day.  She danced the delicate balance of allowing me to grow into a responsible bear while retaining my most unique self.  I can only imagine that she probably rolled her eyes behind my back a few times, but I never saw it.  I knew that she saw what made me "me", and loved me for it.
• She loves her family.  Above anything, this I know:  My Mother Bear loves her family.  She is fiercely loyal and protective.  She taught me that family is of utmost importance.  There hasn't been a day in my life that I didn't know the depth of My Mother Bear's love for me and my sibling cubs.  
• She taught me everything I know.  Her magnificent mothering has made me the Mama Bear I am today.  She taught me to trust my instincts as a Mama Bear, but when my instincts don't always kick in, I have her example to follow.  And I'm a better Mama Bear for it.

So, as My Mother Bear celebrates her 42nd Mother Bear's Day (ahem, Big Sister Bear!), I take the time to say a small, "Thank You" and an even bigger, "I Love You".  You are the best Mother Bear I could ever have.  Those are some pretty big paw prints in which I get to follow.  

Thank you.