Because The Relationship is Paramount. Vital. All Important.

For real, I would literally die for these people.

And it is not an *accomplishment* because they are Good People. Because that is up to them, not me.

It is an *accomplishment* because somehow they survived me and my youthful, sometimes misguided, theories and practices of parenthood:

*My endless experimenting with quiche, allowances, chores

*My insistence on Birds ‘n Bees learning, grades that lived up to aptitude, kindness to all people-even brothers/sisters

*My further insistence upon the stroke of midnight arrival at 744 Cottonwood Terrace to literally come kiss me goodnight…

It is an *accomplishment* because Grace and Mercy accompanied, and continues to accompany, our journey together: We have continued to Love each other through the easy, breezy Life Moments and, more importantly, the sucky, yucky Parenting Opportunities (read: failures, theirs and mine–we are all Real People in this family, so we are all makin’ mistakes and sayin’ stupid stuff sometimes).

Because that is the Greatest Accomplishment:
We Love EVEN THOUGH we fail each other and disappoint and misunderstand each other. That’s what True Love is: We love The Person. Especially as Mothers…

It’s the only way to do it.