A Happy Mother’s Day and heartfelt thank you to all the moms. There is nothing more special than a mother’s love, caring, and nurturing. This represents an amazing gift in the plan of God. The bond between a mother’s love and maternal guidance seems to grow stronger as the years pass by, and mom is always there in the corner of their child.

We live within a Nation with a lot more challenges than just a short time ago, and a mother’s love has never been more needed. Needed not only to answer the 24/7 normal call of raising children but needed to teach, educate, and help the young understand everything facing the youth of today. Many of the moms of today have added responsibilities in raising their children, which makes the job even harder. It has never been more important for the father to understand his role and to be present to allow the woman to be the best mom she can be.

Thank you to all who provide that most special motherly love for the children when mom isn’t present for whatever reason. The grandmothers of today seem to have a much more active role as a motherly figure than in the past. God bless all those that open their hearts to foster care, guardianship, and adopt children and fill that motherly role. These are some pretty big shoes to fill. I feel it’s important for all of us to be supportive of any person taking on this challenge and responsibility.

So please, make sure to celebrate motherhood and thank all the moms this coming weekend. Here are some great all-American ideas to show your gratitude.

You can never go wrong by giving them the day off from normal mother activities. A nice Mother’s Day dinner out, with no cooking, dishes, or clean-up required, will be appreciated. Or perhaps preparing mom her favorite meal at home. Just don’t leave the kitchen like a hurricane hit it for her to clean up. Flowers, cards, candy, jewelry, and art projects made by kids are great Mother’s Day gifts. Did I mention something as simple as giving mom some alone time to read a book, relax, or enjoy an interest is a great idea? To all dads out there, I learned over the years it’s most important to mom for the children to pick out the Mother’s Day present. So, even if they’re knee-high to a grasshopper, take them along with you and allow them to choose something from the heart. This is an added bonus for mom as it provides her with a little break from the kids.

Most important, this Sunday, make sure your mom and all those that provide motherly love hear those special words, Happy Mother’s Day, I love you.

Happy Mother’s Day to my Mom, my stepmother Carol, and my mother-in-law Theresa. Thank you for everything you do and for being wonderful grandmothers. And a Happy Mother’s Day to Michelle from Jimmy, Hunter, and me. We love you.

In closing things out this week, I thought I would share with you some quotes from past presidents about the importance of their moms and motherhood on God’s green earth. Mother’s Day became an official United States holiday in 1914. The understanding, appreciation, and respect for the role of mom is well written within American history.

I’ll begin with our first president, “All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute all my success in my life to the moral, intellectual, and physical educations I received from her.” – George Washington

“All that I am or hope to be I owe to my angel mother.” – Abraham Lincoln

“My mother told me that everything in my life happened for a purpose. She said all things were part of God’s plan, even the most disheartening setbacks, and in the end, everything worked out for the best.” – Ronald Reagan.

“By providing a nurturing environment where their children can grow in confidence and character, mothers lay the foundation for the next generation of Americans to realize their full potential.” – George W. Bush
“There is perhaps no more powerful link than the love between mother and child.” – Bill Clinton

John F. Kennedy provides my last quote, which seems to be timelier than ever. “Mothers all want their sons to grow up to be president, but they don’t want them to become politicians in the process.”

Let’s all have a safe and Happy Mother’s Day weekend, and make sure to get mom some ice cream or that favorite dessert.

God Bless America.