What does it mean to be a mom?  Obviously that’s a question that runs deeper that one little blog entry.  But considering that this coming weekend is Mother’s Day, I thought it would be fun to post up a few light-hearted job titles acquired by moms everywhere.  (Let this also serve as a reminder for the forgetful folks out there to make “Call your Mommy” number 1 on your to do list for Sunday…)  As you read, be thinking of something to add to the list for a chance to win a chocolate-themed prize pack from my good friends at CLIF!

Here's me with MY Mommy (who is now known as Ga Ga), circa 1982.

 SUPERHERO – Moms have special healing powers in their kisses to make even the baddest of boo boos feel better. 

SHORT ORDER COOK – All moms have their specialties.  I was reminded of this just recently with a creamy mac n cheese dinner at my own mom’s house the other day.

SCIENTISTS – Moms are really good at answering important questions about how stuff works.  Things like “Where does the sun go at night?”, “Why do flowers smell pretty?”, and of course the dreaded, “Where do babies come from?”

THERAPIST – What middle-school girl hasn’t gotten the following sage advice from their all-knowing mom who doesn’t need a degree in psychology to say – “Those boys tease you because they like you.” 

POLICE OFFICERS – Moms are there “to protect and to serve.”  They also aren’t afraid to regulate when appropriate.

CHAUFFEUR – I shudder at the thought of how many miles my mom logged in the car driving me to and from volleyball tournaments, softball practice, baksetball games, and youth group during my teenage years. 

This little guy is what makes all the hard work worth it!

While it’s true that moms wear many different titles throughout their years (obviously my job description to my 2 year old will be different in 20 years), the most accurate, all-inclusive title that I could come up with with was that of ENDURANCE ATHLETE, defined as someone that particpates in activities involving physical exertion and mental stamina for long periods of time.  When most people think of endurance athletes, they probably picture distance runners, triathletes, or maybe even mountaineers.  Though I’m sure the above definition was written with the world of sports in mind, it sure does sound like a mom to me…Why?

Moms work hard. Whether they work from home, at home, or on a job site, their work is never finished, unlike most endurance athletes who train towards a peak season before taking time off. Being pregnant? It’s hard. Giving birth? It hurts. And that’s just the beginning. Moms routinely put up with physical hardship and mental stresses on a daily basis without batting an eye. In the early years, nighttime nursing marathons, regular battles with chubby legs and carseat straps, balancing 8 bags of groceries with a toddler on your hip, snuggling cheek to cheek with a fever-ridden child that wants to kiss your face with his barf breath – that’s all par for the course, as is getting kicked in the face when you try to lay down and your toddler confuses down time with wrestle-mania time… Then gradually comes the day when you realize that despite all of your efforts to slow the clock, your baby is now a little boy, then a big boy, then heaven forbid a teenager, and eventually a full-grown man that will be a Daddy himself someday!

The bottom line is that moms are in it for the long haul.  We may not be perfect, but we try our best.  And we love like something fierce.   So in honor of Mother’s Day, here’s your chance to not only pay tribute to YOUR mom, but also enter to win a special Mother’s Day Goody Box from CLIF!  All you have to do is post a comment – highlighting one of the many job titles that YOUR mom acquired throughout your childhood and beyond!  The contest will run through 7 pm on Sunday night, where a winner will randomly be chosen.  Best of luck and happy Mother’s Day!!!