This is my family, series
This is my mother

Orchestrates everything
Creates long two-week driving trips around the country, every year or more
Plans out every road, every park, every museum, every motel, every stop
Takes picture after picture after picture of the family and the vacation and the holiday and more
Collects Christmas lists and birthday lists for everyone
Buys everything on everyone's list, even if there's not enough money for it
Budgets everything somehow perfectly
Creates her own home-shopping-network for the rest of the family to buy for others
Used to have long lists of paper for this
Now puts a computer and a laptop to work for the same effect
Keeps everyone in the family updated on everyone else, because no one can talk to the others like they can talk to her
Pays attention to all the little details
Ties the family together everyday, with her knowledge and her care and her love
Sews the patchwork of our family together, everyday, without which, we'd all fall separately apart and lose touch
Holds and hugs and kisses and warms and touches and loves
Remembers when I visit that I love Juicy Juice and cereal and Puffs Plus tissues
Fixes my room just the way I like it
Prepares all of those things for me in advance of my trip home, without my having to say a thing
Cooks and cooks and cooks requested meals everyday
Decorates all over, wraps all the presents, stuffs the stockings, plans the events, gets everyone else excited
Smiles and laughs and enjoys her family during the holiday
Always takes our calls, even if more than once a day, and for no reason, and even if the cell phone keeps breaking connection
Understands we talk best when we're in the mood and have time
Always in the mood to talk to us
Understands that we may not want to chat right away
Wakes up at 2am because suddenly the kids are in the mood to talk right then
Listens and helps and advises and strengthens
Paints in her sparetime
Somehow manages to have sparetime
Talking to every family member everyday, running the church choir, running the church, managing vacations, orchestrating birthdays and holidays and presents and lives, shopping, cooking, managing, handling, comforting, making, sewing, fixing, planning, whew!, all of which is work, work, work, without pay or often acknowledgement
Does it all from the heart
Wants everyone to be happy and strong
Never is afraid to say "I love you"
Always puts the family first
Wishes and worries and hopes and dreams and takes great care
Loves her family
This is my mother