***Happy Mother's Day to our Very Special DU Moms***

[Catchawave]

A little over 33 years ago a friend sent me a column by Erma Bombeck, which I have to this day, this yellowed, brittle piece of newspaper. Some time ago, I found it online. I thought I'd share it with you:

Mothers Are Given Special Traits

Most women become mothers by accident, some by choice, a few by social pressures, and a couple by habit. This year, nearly 100,000 women will become mothers of handicapped children. Did you ever wonder how mothers of handicapped children are chosen?

Somehow, I visualize God hovering over earth selecting his instruments for propagation with gret care and deliberation. As He observes, He instructs His angels to make notes in a giant ledger.

"Armstrong, Beth, son. Patron saint, Matthew. Forrest, Marjorie, daughter. Patron Saint, Cecelia. Rudledge, Carrie, twins. Patron saint, ... give her Gerard. He's used to profanity."

Finally, He passes a name to an angel and smiles, "Give her a handicapped child." The angel is curious. "Why this one, God? She's so happy." Exactly, " smiles God. "Could you give a handicapped child to a mother who does not know laughter? That would be cruel."

"But has she patience?" asks the angel.

"I don't want her to have too much patience or she will drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wear off, she'll handle it. I watched her today. She has that feeling of self and independence that is so rare and so necessary in a mother. You see, the child I'm going to give her has his own world. She has to make it live in her world and that's not going to be easy."

"But, Lord, I don't think she even believes in you."

God smiles, "No matter. I can fix that. This one is perfect."

The angel gasps, "Selfishness? Is that a virtue?"

God nods. "If she can't separate herself from the child occasionally, she'll never survive. Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with a child less than perfect. She doesn't realize it yet, but she is to be envied. She will never take for granted a 'spoken word.' She will never consider a 'step' ordinary. When her child says "Momma" for the first time, she will be present at a miracle and know it! When she describes a tree or a sunset to her blind child, she will see it as few people ever see my creations."

"I will permit her to see clearly the things I see . . . ignorance, cruelty, prejudice . . . and allow her to rise above them. She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life because she is doing my work as surely as she is here by my side."

"And what about her patron saint?" asks the angel, his pen poised in midair.

God smiles, "A mirror will suffice."
By Erma Bombeck, date unkown

[blondeatlast]

1. I loved Erma and a very nice lady she was in person, too.

That is beautiful and speaks to every mom.

"When she describes atree or sunset to a blind child, she will see it as few people ever see my creations." What a brilliant, irreverent, wise, and very funny woman Erma was!

[Catchawave]

2. More quotes:

• People shop for a bathing suit with more care than they do a husband or wife. The rules are the same. Look for something you'll feel comfortable wearing. Allow for room to grow.

• The Rose Bowl is the only bowl I've ever seen that I didn't have to clean.

• Spend at least one Mother's Day with your respective mothers before you decide on marriage. If a man gives his mother a gift certificate for a flu shot, dump him.

• No one ever died from sleeping in an unmade bed. I have known mothers who remake the bed after their children do it because there's a wrinkle in the spread or the blanket is on crooked. This is sick.

• Guilt is the gift that keeps on giving.

• Housework is a treadmill from futility to oblivion with stop offs at tedium and counter productivity.

• My theory on housework is, if the item doesn't multiply, smell, catch on fire or block the refrigerator door, let it be. No one cares. Why should you?

• Education is so important when it comes to domesticity. I don't know why no one ever thought to paste a label on the toilet tissue spindle giving 1-2-3 directions for replacing the tissue on it. Then everyone in the house would know what Mama knows.

• Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died.

• I just clipped 2 articles from a current magazine. One is a diet guaranteed to drop 5 pounds off my body in a weekend. The other is a recipe for a 6 minute pecan pie.

• Seize the moment. Remember all those women on the 'Titanic' who waved off the dessert cart.

http://womenshistory.about.com/cs/quotes/a/qu_erma_bombeck.htm

:hi:

[Catchawave]

3. Mother's Day Eve *kick*

:kick:

[Kajsa]

4. Catchawave, ThanK You from the bottom of my heart!

My son, 23 yrs. old, has HS autism and ADHD.

I've raised him as a single Mom for the past 22 years.

You have no idea how much this Erma Bombeck column
means to me. I have tears in my eyes, every time I read
it.

True, we do not take any achievement for granted.
Every accomplishment is something great.

I'd love to post a link to this in our Asperger's/PDD Group,(DU)
if that's OK with you.

Thank you so much.

:hug:

[SPKrazy]

7. and bless ya too kajsa!

:loveya:

:hug:


you are a good one ya know?

[Kajsa]

8. Aww- You're the best, Southpaw!

I'm lucky to have you as a friend.

:loveya: :hug:

[SPKrazy]

11. Shhhhhhh!

don't tell anyone...


I'm trying to get a worse reputation than I have :crazy:


:loveya:

:hug:

[Kajsa]

12. OK! Mums the word!

:rofl:

[Catchawave]

9. Of course you can share it ! It would make Erma happy too :)

A very special Happy Mother's Day back at you :hug:

...and of course, to all the DU moms :grouphug:

[Kajsa]

13. Thanks!

:hug:

[Kajsa]

5. A kick for Sunday morning.

And Happy Mother's Day
to all the DU Moms.

:grouphug:

[bigwillq]

6. A Happy Mother's Day to all the DU moms.

:hi: :hug: :bounce:

[Catchawave]

10. A link from GD for those who have lost children:

From DUer bobbolink:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x878396

..and with love :grouphug: