You are deployed This Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day is suppose to be a day where I get to spoil you: to shower you with gifts, hugs and kisses and your favorite food. We go to church and sing songs celebrating you and how much you mean to us. I have been practicing each week for a while.
This week was filled with a Mother’s Day Tea at school; serving the tea (its really juice, but calling it tea sounds more fancy!) and showing you the wrapped handprint art I made in school just for you! All the other children had their mom there with them. I missed you, mom. You are not here this year for Mother’s Day.
But I want you to know that is ok.
I may be little, but you have already taught me so much. You show me how to be kind, help others and how important my family is. Dad tells me all the time how you are his best friend, how he is grateful that you love him and how proud of you he is. I am proud of you too! I hope you know that you are my best friend. Dad is great, but there is nothing quite like having a mom.
Thank you for all you do around here. Thank you for all the times you have been willing to give me one extra hug and snuggle, to wake up with me in the middle of the night, and to play trains and dolls just one more time even when you are tired.
You teach me how to stand up for myself, how to make banana blueberry muffins (cause no one makes them like you) and you comfort me when I am scared to get on the stage of that recital. When you are home, you make each day special and take the time to help me learn new things and to become a better person. You don’t let anything stand in your way, don’t allow anyone to tell you you can’t because you are “a girl”. I love that.
You teach me that following through with your commitments is one of the most important things. That when you say you will do something, you should do it. Even when it it hard.
You work hard.
You sacrifice your time and energy for something bigger than me, than us. So much time is spent fighting for your country, your home, your family, and you do it without thinking of yourself. You may not think I notice these things; that I am too little. But I do notice and I thank you.
I want to spoil you today with your favorite things: German Chocolate Cake, Spaghetti with Meatballs and, of course, chocolate. Well I did make you a card using your favorite color: yellow! I hope you love it!
Hopefully this Mother’s Day has some celebration attached to it. Maybe in the chow hall there will be a special meal for you. Or maybe your favorite cake? That would be very special!
You deserve that, and more.
You deserve a break. Sometimes I feel like you’ve done your work, and it is time come home. But then I remember how important your work is; what you do contributes to the greater good, and I couldn’t ask for more than that. Even if I don’t fully understand it all just yet, I know you will teach me.
Because you are everything to me—my teacher, my hero, my comforter, my friend, and most importantly, my mom.
You may think that this letter is meant to be sad, but it’s not. It is to celebrate YOU. To THANK you for your sacrifice and service to our family and your country.
My siblings and I snuggle our Hug-A-Hero Dolls and special blankets and we feel you close.
So stay safe and be ready for some snuggles and adventures when you come home again. Love you, mommy!
