Last week was an art show at Eli’s school. The hallways of the school were covered with art. I loved it! Sometimes I wish the walls of my house could be filled from floor to ceiling with Eli and Emma’s art work. They are constantly creating something, so this would easily get out of control.

We walked down the halls and first we came to Eli’s self-portrait. Notice he also included the name tag he wears daily at school. Love that.

Next, we came to shapes. I love the color combination. Who ever said red and yellow don’t go perfectly together?

Next, we found a bouquet of flowers he drew.

And then we came across some swirls. When I asked Eli what it was, he said “swirls of colors.”

We also came across a crab he cut and colored.

And a seahorse.

And a picture he made from career day. He drew himself as an engineer. Notice the way he spelled engineer. Brilliant!

We walked down the halls and saw art work from every class. Emma wore her perfect summer hat.

Eli posed for a picture in front of his class. He posed for the same picture on the first day of school in August. Sniff, sniff.

Then, we stopped so the E’s could draw a picture of our family on the wall.

Eli drew us. With a heart above our little family.

Emma also drew a picture of our family.

And we all looked the same and have really long legs.

Holy cow…only a few weeks until Eli’s kindergarten year comes to an end. Where did the year go? There’s been parties and assemblies, lunch dates in the cafeteria and report cards, field trips and field days, performances and reading logs. The year has been amazing and I couldn’t have asked for a better kindergarten year for my boy. Sure I’d love to freeze time. If I could, I would go back to 3-year-old Eli and 6 month old Emma. When my days were all about nursing and diaper changing and balancing life with two babies while smiling because it was the life I always imagined. But, there’s no freezing time and my 6 month old Emma will be 4 soon and my first-born will soon be a 1st grader. All I can do is sigh because I am able to be home to watch this life unfold and watch them grow.

Mothers day has always been an odd day to me. As a mother, I don’t want to feel appreciated and loved on one specific day out of the year, I want to feel it year round. I don’t want my husband or children to feel forced to do something special for me because of what the calendar says. It just feels a little fake.

I find mothers day in July, in February, in October and in all the months of the year. I find mothers day when my husband takes the children and I have a few hours to myself. I find mothers day when the afternoon and evening escapes me and before I know it, it’s 7pm and there’s nothing for dinner, yet David doesn’t care and just picks something up. I find mothers day when David sneaks up behind me while I’m washing dishes, he startles me as he wraps his arms around me and kisses my neck. I find mothers day when Emma pretends she’s a momma and cares for her baby doll. I find mothers day when Eli yells “momma,” and runs up to me at school pickup.

That is mothers day to me and I don’t need the calendar to say so.

I found myself sitting on the couch reading the June issue of Real Simple magazine. I reached page 6 and found a quote geared towards Fathers day, but if I switch a few of the words around, and insert my own, it’s exactly how I would want my children to describe me years from now…

“He was generous with his affection, given to great, awkward, engulfing hugs, and I can remember so clearly the smell of his hugs, all starched shirt, tobacco, Old Spice and Cutty Sark. Sometimes I think I’ve never been properly hugged since.” ~Linda Ellerbee, Move On