Sunday, May 10, 2009

I'll love you forever


I was tagged a few weeks ago by Candie over at The Ancient Sword
with this Mummy Meme. No, not the Egyptian tomb kind, the mom
kind. The instructions were to write five things about being a mother.
So here are five random things, out of hundreds, that I love about
being a mother, in no particular order.
.
1) I loved feeling those soft small hands, holding on to mine as we
walked through the grocery store parking lot. I knew there would
come a time when those little guys would no longer feel comfortable
holding my hand in public. I savored every minute.


.
2) I have always adored the sound of my children's laughter. That
first little belly laugh as babies, to the loud roar of laughter at the
Manor on holidays. I bask in it.
.
3) I love seeing the blend of our features in all three of their lovely,
unique faces.
.
4) The sound of my kids' voices on the other end of the phone always
gives me a thrill. "Hey, whaaat's goin' on?", "Hellooooow!" (in the
Seinfeld style) or "Wazzup?"
.
5) I love that each one of my kids know that no matter what they do,
or what they say, they know I adore them, respect them as adults,
and will always give them HEAPS of unconditional love. Always.

I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my babies you'll be.

82 comments:

  1. So sweet. Lovely children you have! You're very blessed

    Breeze

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  2. awww, Willow...such a proud mom you are...your family is beautiful...you are fortunate enough to see them grow into adults...thank goodness you don't take that for granted...my own daughter would be 27 this June...that's so weird for me...but i always find the best joy in the fact that we were a happy team...i make it through every day because i was a great mom and she made it so easy because she, too, was the best...

    best moment for me...Jenn and me popping the backs of each others' bras---unforgettable, of course, she was way more endowed...

    we were just beginning...

    Happy Mom's Day to you!

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  3. Your kids are gorgeous, Willow. You're a good Mom. Have a very happy Sunday! LBx

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  4. my mom and i used to read that book all the time. What a heartfelt post.
    As always, thank you for sharing!

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  5. Love the little limerick. The kids are all above average as they say in Lake Wobegone. I hope one day my kids will appreciate the love I showed them;will remember how much they mean to me; will grow up to be good people. Happy Mother's Day to you Willow.

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  6. Beautiful. May you hear their hellos and laughter for always. Happy Mother's Day dear Willow.

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  7. Ahhh, so sweet and cute. Perfect time to post on Mother's Day weekend. Have a wonderful day.

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  8. I love that poem! And I ditto all your feelings. You have a beautiful family - and they are lucky to have such a wonderful, talented mother to love them unconditionally. Thank you for this post.

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  9. Very nice post. That's what everyone says; your mom will always love you.

    My wife always brings up Ted Bundy's mom - she undoubtedly loved him right up to the end - but also had to accept the horror of his life. It's just one of those things. Mom's love is so optimistic!

    Oh, is there a thought for "Dad's Love"? Yeah, I thought not.

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  10. we are alone every second of our lives but that time when our mother or lover is holding us

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  11. Oh, Willow, I know just what you mean. I have two boys and one daughter as well. I remember when the second one was born, how utterly different the my two chldren were. When number 3 came along, i couldn't imagine how he could be any different. And then I remembered: oh yes, the human gene pool is so varied. And yet, a threat of familiar binds us, not so tightly that is smothers, but with enough slack to make space for individuality and love to bloom.

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  12. Now you have brought a little tear to my eye. What a nice mum you are.

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  13. This a a fantastic post and beautiful children...but I know you already know that:>)
    Linda

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  14. Hello Willow,
    this is a beautiful post. I have been thinking about what to say as a response since you posted it ( and going over all the memories it aroused for me and the similarities in our kids' photos, especially the baby one - I have a very near identical baby)

    and I can't come up with a suitable comment because I don't want to diminish it it any way.
    So I am going to leave it as beautiful.
    Happy mothering

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  15. Tears flooded my eyes as I read this. Those really are the good things.

    Happy Mother's Day to you. I hope that all of your children are with you.

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  16. Isn't it wonderful being a mum?!

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  17. Oh Willow, what lovely rich and deep sentiments. You make me weep, since I'll never experience them.
    I love that top photo. You look divinely happy.

    Kat

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  18. Hi,
    I read your post with great interest. You see, I don't have children. I never could have any.

    My boy friend's wayword young daughter got pregnant and now we are raising the baby. He is almost four.

    I have not yet found the capacity to forgive this girl for being a selfish & horrid teenage mother...but I do love this little boy with all my heart. And I love to hold his soft tiny hand in my own hand as we walk along together.

    Happy Mother's Day to you Willow.
    Your kids are lucky.

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  19. Happy (almost) Mother's Day, Willow! I miss holding those little hands too -- but may boys have been and continue to be pretty wonderful at every age (well, there were a few years of teen gloom that I think they, as well as I, wouldn't mind skipping.)

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  20. What a lovely post, Willow. I also love being a mother, though my children are not quite grown. I find myself remembering to enjoy this _____ (insert moment here)because is might be the last time...the last high school concert, the last year of running around because college is approaching...

    I love these years and am so glad that I changed my career so that I could enjoy more hours with my children.

    Your photos are adorable! I do see a touch of your face in each grown child. Thank you for sharing your life. <3

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  21. Btw That book - I will love you, forever- was also read quite often in our house. It's so touching.

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  22. Hello Willow,

    A beautiful tribute to your children and a tiny glimpse of the compendium of emotions that being a Mom must mean.

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  23. You took the words right out of my mouth had I been asked to write five things about being a mother. Now, I get to revisit these things with my grandchildren, as you will too, one day.
    Beautiful, and so are your children.

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  24. Hi! Willow,
    I enjoyed reading your post about your love and respect for your children. (When they were small and now as young adults...Btw,you have three very nice looking! children/young adults (external)...there beauty seems (internal) too!)

    Thanks, for sharing!...
    ...and I hope that you have a Happy Mother's Day! and
    Take care!
    DeeDee ;-D

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  25. Beautiful, Willow. Motherhood truly comes with an expand of the heart, a molding to our children's hands and laughter,a perfect fit which makes us whole.
    I know exactly how you loooove them. Your treasures!

    xoxox

    Isabel

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  26. This is so heartwarming. lucky kids to have such a wonderful, loving mom. the pictures are fabulous. happy mother's day.

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  27. You look so happy in that first pic. Wow!

    And they're all beautiful, not surprising at all, Willow.

    Happy mother's day to you. Cheers!

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  28. You and your kids are gorgeous. Happy Mother's Day Willow!

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  29. What lovely children.
    What riches and joy our children bring us --interspersed with other stuff of course.
    Happy Mother's Day, Willow.
    A time to celebrate.
    My children are utterly wonderful too!
    OXO

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  30. Wonderful list! Great looking kids. "I'll Love You Forever" always makes me weep.

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  31. What a sweet tribute to a Mothers' brood, we are so lucky to be called Mom, or Ma, or Mum...whatever, the sound is sweet and will always turn our heads in the mall...MOM...!

    Have a wonderful, memory filled Mothers' Day!!!

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  32. From looking at these photographs, one can see the result of unconditional love in their eyes.

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  33. What a lovely tribute to your children. Very fitting for Mother's Day weekend.

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  34. Have a wonderful Mother's Day!

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  35. Love the photos especially the first one...Happy Mother's Day to you!!!
    PS I like black tea too ♥x

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  36. Very nice thoughts about being a mother.

    Have a happy and enjoyable mother's day.

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  37. What a lovely post... I'm right there with you on the holding of little hands in the pkg lot. Great photographs, they are sweet as babies and adults!

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  38. Oooh Willow, I read this and it brought tears to my eyes...
    Such touching words, and pictures.
    Happy Mother's day to you, from one mum to another :)

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  39. I share with you the joys of being a mom...your meme had some great choices. I have two boys (men)and it is just what I wanted but I can see now how having a girl would be a nice contrast. I too will always be a mom...grateful for the opportunity! Happy Mother's Day!

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  40. Oh, Willow,
    that is such a heartwarming tribute to your children and your love for them. Thank you for sharing these sentiments with us and a very happy Mother's Day to you!
    Merisi

    P.S.:
    You were always a very beautiful woman, adorable image of you as a young mother.

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  41. "I'll Love you Forever"...
    We have that book and I remember reading it to my girls many, many times when they were little. I cried every time. And I'm almost crying now just thinking about it.
    Another favorite was "Guess How Much I Love You" about the big nut brown hare who loves her baby all the way to the moon and back.
    Great books, those.
    Thanks, Laura

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  42. great piece. got me to thinking about my boys and how much they mean to me. happy mothers day! hope you get to spend time with them!

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  43. Willow,
    As a new mom, I found this very touching. I'm so with you on the laugh.
    Fun to see the continuity between your kids' childhood and adult faces.

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  44. This is a lovely post, Willow.

    I also love that feeling of holding their soft little hands in mine. And that baby smell right behind the ears--my little one still has it, although it will probably soon go away, sine he is almost two and half.

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  45. Oh, Willow, AMEN to all of the above! I totally agree--100%! Happy Mother's Day to you! Hope you hear from all of them! Great photos here!

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  46. You have a happy looking family there Willow. Enjoy your day tomorrow.
    Blessings, Star

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  47. Did you guys read Robert Munsch? We ate, slept and regularly acted out Robert Munsch. My ambition had been to be a children's writer, but his books were so much better, that I relented and just tried to act out his books as best I could. His books were such fun, I almost gave up amateur stage acting.

    Lovely evocations of motherhood! Happy mother's day.

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  48. Hi Willow and Happy Mother's Day! This is a wonderful tribute to your kids. And you're right about a child's laughter. I can't explain it my-self, so I don't bother. Enjoy the day :)

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  49. what a touching post. I have to agree with you...there is nothing sweeter than hearing your childs voice.

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  50. LOVE these and right there with you. I still remember the smell of those sweet baby heads and that fuzzy tickle against my nose. Wasn't that the best, too?!

    Happy Mother's Day, Willow!! May you bask in the love of your children. :)

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  51. Ooh, I love these photos! Such adorable kids, and that laughing baby is just delightful!! Happy Mother's Day, Willow!!

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  52. I have that book, I'll Love You Forever, and I think I successfully read it all the way through to my kids a couple of times. Then, as they got older, I'd start crying half way through and couldn't finish. After a while I just quit trying. My boys would come flash the book in my face and tease me for crying when I read it.

    How being a mom can simultaneously be so exhausting, so maddening and yet so fulfilling and rewarding I'll never quite understand.

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  53. Your kids ARE well loved!

    This made me cry! Very sweet.

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  54. What a heartfelt, tender, affectionate and genuine feature to your children. That's why I am a regular on this blog. Because it exudes love. And you know what is like, you give love, you receive love. Many thanks and I wish you a Happy Mothers' Day. Which by the way it was celebrated here in March so my wife is getting a second pressie tomorrow because in Cuba we also celebrate it on the second Sunday in May.

    Greetings from London.

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  55. That was such a sweetastic post!!! Lovely family!

    blessings!

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  56. you are so very blessed.

    xx

    beautiful family !
    ( i feel the same way about mine )

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  57. This is so beautiful, Willow! Happy Mother's Day to you!

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  58. oh love your tribute to your sweet family!the blend of you and husband and the specialness of you children ! hoorah!have a great Sunday and do lov eyou new banner- I was away from blogland !happy to be back!
    and yes,I agee with M.Cuban your blog exudes love!

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  59. Really a wonderful post. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Now you know how I feel and my wife feels and our four daughters all fell about our only son and their brother, Chris, being here this past week. Made for lots of catching up and little time left for anything else. He leaves later today.

    My Birds Blog

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  60. Hello Willow!

    Oh this is so sweet!Happy times for you and your little family!Oh and happy mother's day!
    Make me want to make babies again!

    Have a nice day happy mom!
    :)

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  61. Your babies are beautiful - then and now. A HUGE Happy Mother's Day to you sweet Willow. Have a wonderful day of blessings and laughter.

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  62. Happy Mother's Day Willow!

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  63. hi nice blog i like it and i hope you will join my blog maybe we can help each other.

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  64. oh, you've touched my heart with this post, willow! just wonderful.

    happy mother's day!

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  65. such a sweet mom post, isn't that the most perfect thing about being a mom that feeling of utter & total deep seated unconditional love.

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  66. cute kids.
    Happy Mother's Day!

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  67. As a proud (and totally involved) father of three, I endorse this!

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  68. What a wonderful post! Happy Mother's Day Willow!

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  69. Beautiful children. Beautiful sentiments.

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  70. This post made me cry. All the photos are lovely but the top one is my favourite. Your children are all adorable. I treasure every moment I have with my four year old daughter. If I could only freeze time. I love holding her in bed feeliing her sweet body and seeing her drift off to sleep. The great times, the bad times, the wonderful fun times, every moment is precious. Happy Mothers Day to you, Willow xx

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  71. Knowing you would have just the perfect Mother's Day post, I read this yesterday, and was so inspired...However, I never got it together for THE actual day....but I will follow through today! Your post really did make me THINK about being a mother. It is like trying to describe breathing...in great detail.

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  72. What a sweet, lovely post. Your kids are awesome.

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Inject a few raisins of conversation into the tasteless dough of existence.
― O. Henry (and me)