Stories from Mother's Day

We wanted to share some of the amazing emails and stories we've gotten as a result of the Mother's Pucker project. Here goes:

----------------------------------------------------------

I just wanted to take the time to thank you for your Mother Pucker project!

When I read the blog entry about taking Mothers day back it really upset me... I was all teary and bleary thinking about all the Moms I knew that could use a pick me up from someone who understood.

My nephew was born 7 months ago with a severe form of Spina Bifida and very rare complications with it. He has been in the hospital his entire life. Now I think being a Mom any day of the week is hard, but being a Mom that has to divide her day between a three year old, a husband, a dog and taking care of a baby struggling for his life in the hospital- well that is just crazy hard. My sister in law has a strength, poise and grace. She is a fierce advocate for my nephew's care. She knows more medical jargon than a 3rd year medical student. She is truly amazing.

So to make a long story shorter- after I read your blog I decided that I wanted to make 20 or so little gift bags for the mothers of kids in the children's hospital where my nephew is. These mothers stuck in the hospital on Mother's day are courageous, their strength is the glue holding things together. I wanted to help lift them up a little bit. A few of my wonderful friends got wind and decided to help. We put together 40 bigger bags with hand written notes.

I dropped the bags off on Sunday and had enough for all the Moms on my Nephew's floor and the NICU (where he spent the first 3 months of his life).

It was my best Mother's Day ever.

Thanks!

B

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dearest Ladies,

Thank you so much for organizing the Mother Pucker Project. My soon-to-be ex-husband and I spent the entire day together, changing names on accounts, car titles, etc. We went through our house with notebooks and wrote down who gets what. We capped the day off with a trip to marriage counseling, which is now entitled "Please Help Us Not to Kill Each Other and Ruin Our Children Through This" counseling. It was a two hour session.

He asked for the divorce. I don't want it. He doesn't love me anymore. I am still crazy about him. We had a perfectly cordial, albeit difficult day. When we returned to my home to drop him off at his car, all I wanted was for him to tell me that today's reality had shocked some sense back into him and that he still loved me and what was he thinking. *sigh* He got in his truck and drove away. I held in the tears until I made it inside the house and then I sobbed. I'm alone. He doesn't love me. I have been rejected.

And then.

I saw a pretty package, covered in butterflies, postmarked Houston, TX. Inside it was a lovely card and some beautiful jewelry. No one ever buys me jewelry.

Please send my thanks to Danielle, who sadly didn't include her address so that I could thank her myself. The reminder that I am loved when I am feeling so unloved was priceless.

-A mommy

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

I received an anonymous gift card this past Christmas ... my family & I are in a much better place and I want to pay it forward.  

Go ahead and hook me up!

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lovely Funny Ladies,

 

Yesterday, I felt like punching a whole lot of the world in the face. I was dismayed that so much hate and ignorance continues to manifest itself in our country and that those people have enough of a majority to take their internal issues and force effects on others. I won't go too 'rabble rabble' because the point is, your project has helped me move past the "punching people in the face" part.

 

As soon as I read about your project, I knew I wanted to do something for our local domestic violence shelter here in the Florida Panhandle. When my husband and I do have the time, money, and resources; it is the chief cause we support. I grew up in an abusive home and my Momma never felt she had the support to leave. My childhood had made me who I am and I am a big believer in finding the blessings in everything; now I have a safe happy home, a wonderfully kind supportive husband, and a beautiful little girl who I know will always see her home as a safe haven. I want to use my experience to ensure as many Mommas out there DO have support and I want to set the example for my daughter that she can make a difference in so many small ways.

 

I forwarded out the details (somewhat censored! :)) of the Mother Pucker project to my work folk. As donations to Shelter House filled up the box in my office, I felt a little better about the world. And in delivering it with my family tomorrow, I will feel a little better again. This is much much more a gift for me than I could have every realized.

 

Thanks for filling the world with a little more love,

M

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Love.the.blog.

Totally inspired by the "project", I called up my favorite gal at the bank who supports crazy schemes to help people, told her about it, she said; "will $150 help?". I was like whoa, yeah, totally! My husband is throwing in $150, too. So I thought...AWESOME! I can do this! Then, with my nine year old in tow, and a track meet to get to, I dashed to the homeless shelter (not a big town) and offered my services as the "Mother's Day fairy godmother?". They were THRILLED, we got a tour of the facility, met some moms and got down to business. I said things like "what do you need?". They said "tampons and mini pads". I cried. Then I said " how many people live here"? 25. Twenty-five women, with their children live in this facility.

Well, my $300 isn't gonna cut it.... But I KNOW people, and the people I know were saaaddd when I told them about the tampon thing, and we are on our way to the new goal of $600. So, Hookers, I'm not asking y'all for money, I'm working the locals to pony up the dough. I just wanted y'all to know, that I'm grateful for the work that you do and for inspiring me to take action.

I'll make sure they get the "personal items" but, I guarantee, they will get some lipgloss too!

Thank you, thank you,

Michelle Versteeg

Update a few days later: Ok. This is the deal.. We raised 525 bucks! We were able to purchace; a sturdy bag (and its cute) mascara! Pens, panty liners, lip gloss, hair ties, writing pads, socks, body wash, lotion, McDondalds coupons!

So So So happy to do this! Thank you for the inspiration! You*re awesome! Love to Kate and Lou, too! When this is over.. I'm tappin the T box, well... Probably a little before? Love, M

 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Just read the post about clean birth kits. I had a miscarriage a couple of weeks ago and if I can't have a baby (right now) I want more than anything for some other mamas on the other side of the world to be able to, safely. I just made a donation World Birth Aid.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi there,

 

I'd like to nominate my mother.  She gave birth to 6 children.  In fact, when my older sister was in 2nd grade, my next oldest sister was in kindergarten, my sister after that was in preschool, I was still at home with her all day, and next younger brother was 1 and my youngest brother was 3 months. The teacher asked my oldest sister's class what their mommies and daddies did.  When it was her turn, my sister answered, "My daddy is a police man, and my mommy changes diapers."  

 

She taped every Mr. Roger's opera for us to watch later.  She made cakes from scratch, like sifting the flour and waiting until the butter was ro om temperature.  She mediated how many turns we all had to stir because heaven forbid that someone would get to go three and a half turns around the bowl, and everyone else only got one.  When she divided up jelly beans at Easter time, not only did she count them (instead of just throwing in handfuls like I would have done), she counted every flavor in the bag and made sure everyone got 9 lemon and 4 cherry, etc.  She has spent approximately 1 million hours teaching us how to do long division.   She made flash cards for every math fact, every multiplication table, every spelling word, every science definition, and quizzed us every night. 

 

I don't think she ever watched a television show that didn't have a cartoon or a puppet in it for decades.  She has suffered through years of dance recitals and said I was good, even when I wasn't.  She has covered a bazillion school books in clear contact, and mastered it.  No bubbles, wrinkles, or lines. Every August, in hot, humid, sticky Philadelphia weather, she did the "Great Uniform Migration." Every blouse, jumper, tie, and knee socks, gym shorts, polo shirt, and pants got tried on, pinned and hemmed for the next child in line. As we complained that it was hot, and we wiggled when she tickled our ankles pinning the pants, wanting to do anything, but think of school.  My mother is the only mother I know who got genuinely sad at the end of August.  She loved being home with us. (I know. I know.  

 

I work part time at a daycare, and I love that I can give them back at the end of the day.) She made the best pony tails. She put the character sheets on upside down on the bed so we could look at them properly as we were falling asleep. (The care bears would be facing us.) We tested her patience all of the time. Yet, she rarely showed it.  Once, she broke her ankle by tripping on the barbie dolls that we refused to put away, and I felt guilty.  (Imagine suffering through, cooking, laundry, dishes, getting kids ready for school, walking the kids to and from school, giving baths, all on crutches.)  She introduced me to Little Women and Anne of Green Gables. (To this day, I swear I won't settle for anyone who isn't as charming and smart as Gilbert, as inspiring as Laurie, and I might (much to her horror), name my first child Phenias. 

 

My mother is the kindest, most principled person I know.  (Everyone says that about their mom, but really, there is no one more selfless, no one who has a kinder nature, or a gentler soul.)  My mother doesn't think she's special.  She doesn't think she's smart.  She doesn't feel very pretty.  And, indeed, she is all of these things.  My mother has chronic lung disease and congestive heart failure.  She's always worried that she hasn't done enough for us. She has given up everything for us. This mother's day project is perfect because my mom doesn't get suprised often, and maybe someone else saying thank you will make her realize how valuable and important and selfless her job was.

[Editor's Note: I personally think this letter is the best mother's day gift any mom could ever get - especially this one, who sounds so incredible.]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This has been a really hard year for my family. We have 3 small children and in the past 6 months 2 of my kids have been diagnosed with special needs (Aspergers and PDD) and my oldest has been on full blown mental breakdown causing us to have to consider admitting him into a mental hospital. Our finances are drained from therapies, dr appts and medicines. My husband and I are just clinging to each other and trying to survive and help our kids! I don't need anything really..maybe just a letter and a hug!!! Thank you for doing this!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

  
Just finished putting together 100 CLEAN BIRTH KITS w/ 4 fellow mommies. They are packed and ready to mail to Adriel! Thanks to RFML for raising our awareness while keeping us laughing (& sane)!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Hello,

I'd love to get a Mom to help, and I'd like to nominate someone.

This may sound weird, but I'm nominating the BioMom. My boyfriend and I moved in together in November, after they were separated. Understandably, the mother of my boyfriend's six year old daughter isn't too happy about all this. Even though she admits that they aren't right for each other, she didn't sign on for the gig of having her daughter by herself every other week.

I think she resents that my boyfriend, has me to help him with his six year old (and the light of my life), which is fully understandable.

During our week before Mother's Day, we're going to take her out to buy something nice for her Mommy (we're thinking a build a bear Horse with her little voice saying "You're the best Mommy Ever, I love you"), but when I read this post I was thinking that it would be nice for her to get some recognition from another Mom, so she knows she's not as alone as she thinks.

If it's possible, I'd like to remain anonymous. As you can imagine, she hates my guts, and anything I get or give is tossed in the trash, so I don't want my name spoiling Mother's Day for her.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I am one of the blessed who received a Starbucks gift card from one of your awesome mommies, plus a card that read "No, really. HIDE. I will find you."...And the most pseudo-sadistic smile on a sweet 1950's mommy face talking to her boy. PERFECT!!! I can't even thank you all enough. It inspired me to write a letter to my sister-in-law who is becoming a mommy for the first time, encouraging her to let all her cracks hang out: 

http://www.trinitywilbourn.com/home/2012/5/13/a-letter-to-my-sister-as-she-becomes-a-mommy-for-the-first-t.html

Note from Lydia: Her post is BEAUTIFUL. And to say this woman deserved some extra love after the year she's had is an understatement. Housefire, lost everything - including their dog. A week later she had her fourth child in five years. His name is Phoenix. This family is special.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kate, Lydia, et al.,

 

I read RFML every morning over my sesame bagel and vat of diet coke. You help me start my day in a positive and humorous way and I thank you for that because I'm a miserable whucked up crank in the morning.

 

 I took part in the HHP in December. At the time I helped out a mother named S---- in Arkansas. At the time I was in a great place. I had a husband, a super adorable son named, my health, a good job, etc...nothing to B&M about. 

 

Sadly, earlier this year (actually two days before my birthday to be exact) I found out my husband had been involved with another woman. It had been going on for 5 months. She was 19 and a college student. YAY Happy Birthday to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

 

We decided to try and work things out because of our son and from my perspective because I had no savings and no where to go if I left. We've spent the last month in therapy working on our respective issues and trying to reconnect. 

 

Last Friday I received a strange email from a woman trying to figure out if the guy she was seeing was actually married. I found out yesterday that she had been dating my husband since December. How the man managed to have not one but TWO girlfriends and a wife at the same time is completely beyond me, but he did. Discovering this has given me the strength to do what I should have done a month ago and find an attorney and ask him to leave. I still have no savings and I'm not sure how I'm going to navigate the waters ahead in the coming months, but I'm praying I can find the strength to do it, if not for me then for my son. So needless to say, my birthday blew chunks and I expect Mother's Day will be just as bad. 

 

I hate asking for help, but would you please put me on the list and send a mental junk punch to that mother pucker I'm married to?

 

Thanks ladies.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Mommyland Mother Puckers,

At Christmas, someone who was kind and generous and sweet helped hook me up with just a little something so I could make Christmas a little special for my family. We are in a better situation right now and I want to pay it forward and help another Mother out. Please hook me to some mother who would like to get a little love and appreciation from a mother who totally understands. 

Thanks a million for being fabulous and stylish models of what being a mom really means (compassionate, kindness, a whole lot of schmidt losing mother pucking hookers).

xo

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Thank you Thank you Thank you. 

We are so grateful to all of you for doing this with us. 

 

xo, Lydia, Kate & Louise

(c)Herding Turtles, Inc. 2009 - 2011