A Mother's Day Surprise!!

Today....like most Saturdays...I crawled out of bed around 8:30...meandered to the kitchen....greeted Ken who was doing his Saturday morning "sudoku"...then with my bowl of cereal....I sat down in front of the computer to check the morning emails.

Well......the first one I read was from Bob and Robyn Hamlet...and Bob said "hey Judy.... just read the article in the Cadillac News.... very cool!"....I immediately responded in my head "What article?".......So I navigated over to the Cadillac Evening news site.....and there it was.....Front Page!!! I started reading....the tears started flowing....and I quickly called out to Ken...inquiring about his role in this surprise!

http://www.cadillacnews.com/

Full story: http://www.cadillacnews.com/story_news/?story_id=847812&year=2009

After some hugs and tears...I found out that the article was written by Kayla Kiley..a former (very talented) student of mine from CHS who works for the newspaper. Kayla wrote the article with input from Ken, Jason, and Kurt. She included some family pictures that she collected from Ken and off from Facebook.

The whole thing was a total shock and really touched my heart!!

Thank you Kayla for this thoughtful expression of love honoring me as a Mom and teacher) Thank you Ken for EVERYTHING!!! Thank you Jason and Kurt for your tender words of love and encouragement....and Emily and Heidi for being amazing daughter-in-laws....even after keeping this secret from me:)

And thank you Joel !!! We were so proud of you in your "Miles for Medals"walk today!!

As we greet another Mother's Day I hope we can all reflect on the influence and love shown to us by our Mom's. Our Mom's and Mom-in-laws have had an everlasting impact on our lives. Ken's mom, Wanda Nichols, has been in Heaven now for almost 23 years....yet her sweet spirit, beauty, love, and compassion for people has lived on from generation to generation. My Mom, Lois Hopkins,born in 1925, is still a very active part of our lives and has been such a blessing to us and our family. It has been a gift and inspiration to be a daughter and daughter-in-law.

Now as I reflect on the past 28 years as a mother, and the past 7 years as a mother-in-law.....I am humbled and honored that God has given Ken and I the opportunity to raise three sons. It has been an amazing journey....one that still continues with Joel!!! I love and adore our daughter-in-laws as deeply as if they were our daughters. I am grateful that I have been able to watch 8 grand kids come into this world and I look forward to the many memories I can make with them.

So.....Happy Mother's Day to all of you Mom's out there!! And a special greeting to these very important women in my life: my Mom, my sister Linda, Daughter-in-laws Emily and Heidi, Special friends Carol Scott and Karen Roncari, Sister-in-laws Pat, Jeanne, Deb. and Carol, and sweet nieces Andrea, Emily, Shelia, Deb, and Lisa.

Ken, Joel, Judy