by Kirsten Locke

Created on: May 09, 2007   Last Updated: May 16, 2007

Life in general throws plenty of curve balls and anyone with children knows that these wonderful, crazy little people add so many extra twists that it can make mom dizzy. Yet she endures with a never-ending supply of love and patience for every event, good and bad. Let's take a look at some of what she has to deal with

She's there from before her children take their first breath(and all the food cravings, squished bladder, uncomfortable nights and internal kicking that comes with those nine months) to when it's time for those same children to leave home to find their own fortune.

She's there for the first word(which is usually Dada, not Mama), the first step(and the first of many tumbles into furniture corners and hard floors, leading to trips to the emergency room) and the first day of school(as the child either clings to her leg crying hysterically or walks right through the school doors without so much as a backward glance.)

She's there for every parent/teacher conference, from the gold stars and glowing reports to the ones involving detention, suspension and other misbehavior.

She's there for hospital visits - everything from bloody noses or a few small stitches to major head trauma and broken bones. She's also the one to make you take your medicine, drink plenty of liquids and get plenty of rest while piling on extra blankets when you're sick.

Personalities may clash and there'll be so many arguments that no one can keep count, yet she'll still dole out hugs and I love you's' on a regular basis.

She's there for sporting events, graduations and other special events, even if her child is the worst on the team, stumbles and knocks over the podium or is on television for breaking some bizarre world record, like fish juggling. And she will be there with a smile on her face and plenty of words of encouragement.

She's there as a shoulder to cry on when the teenager's date stands them up. She's also there, staying awake until the wee hours of the night, waiting for that same teenager to come home at 4AM.

She pours herself right back into the job no matter how severe the trauma may be, and she does all of this despite bad backs, bouts of flu or other health issues of her own.

Despite her own misgivings on how well she thinks her children may do in any given endeavor or how much those same children may claim to despise her and her lifestyle, she supports them and makes sure that they know she is always there for them.

She is there because what she's doing is important. She's there for love and because it's the right thing to do, no matter how difficult the job may be.

So let's hear it for Mom! Who else is going to go through so much for our sakes? (Ok, dad's do all this, too, but your day is next month, guys, so I'm going to focus on the parent of the moment, alright? Thanks!)

Treat her like a queen? Heck, give that woman not only a crown and huge bouquet of flowers but add a medal of honor, purple heart and ten gallons of rocky road ice cream! She has more than earned it!

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