Todays Helping of Chicken Soup for the Soul

[Guest guest]

This Is the Best Day of My Life

By Dian Tune

Being a mother of five children who were all born within seven years

tells

me I am either very crazy or I love being a mother. For me it is the

latter.

From the moment I felt the first baby moving within my womb I was hooked. I

knew my calling in life. I went to college; I did all the things that the

modern woman is told to do. But, all I really wanted was to be a full-time

domestic goddess (as Roseanne Barr used to say).

For many years I was a full-time mother; however, I did have to

supplement

my husband's income to make ends meet. So I would tend and fall in love

with

yet more children. Not children that I gave birth to but working mothers'

children. I loved those kids like my own. This allowed me to stay home

with my

own and share my love for others' children. A working mom is a happy mom

when

her kids are happy. Well, I did my very best to make sure that their kids

were

happy.

When my last child started school I decided that I would substitute

teach

at the local schools. I loved it. Again I was allowed to be home with my

kids

when they were at home. What I didn't realize was that I would be able to

go on

field trips with my own children. I would have freedom that I hadn't had in

a

long time. I had never been able to do this when I ran home daycare. I

felt

that it was a fair trade-off to be home with my kids.

My son, who was eight at the time, brought home a note for a field trip

to

be signed. For years I had always checked the " No " box where they ask for

chaperones. He pleaded with me to go. I already had a substitute job

scheduled

for that day. I thought about it for a while and I checked the " Yes " box.

was thrilled to say the least. I quickly notified the teacher that

I

wouldn't be able to sub on that day, and she would have to find someone

else.

She wasn't thrilled but she understood.

The field trip day arrived. We were going to ride the " Bell Carol "

steamboat down the Cumberland River and then walk to the Spaghetti Factory

for

lunch. The anticipation was just about to kill my son. He beamed with

pride as

we walked into the school building together. He introduced me to his class.

I

was so touched by his tender words and pride in me.

The bus ride from LaVergne, Tennessee, to downtown Nashville is about

thirty minutes on a good day. This can be a very long time with ninety-plus

kids on a bus. wanted me to sit by him. I chose not to be the

disciplinarian to the children that I was sitting by that day. I let the

teachers and their aides do that. I focused my entire attention on my son,

and

we talked the entire ride. We talked about many fun and silly things. I

listened while he talked. Our eyes met, and he looked deep inside mine and

said, " Mama, this is the best day of my life. " My heart was filled with

true

joy. A soft tear or two rolled down my face and asked me, " Mama,

don't

cry; Mama, why are you crying? " And I answered, " Because you have made this

one

of the best days of my life. "

The true joy of motherhood comes from the simple things that we do for

and

with our children.