What Gifts Do Mothers Cherish Most?

By Lisa Pemberton, The Olympian, Olympia, Wash.

May 3–They wipe away tears and dirty handprints.

They shuffle kids to school, scouts, soccer and everywhere in between.

Next Sunday is Mother’s Day, a day for “Household CEOs” everywhere to bask in their family’s admiration.

“It’s the one day moms know they’re appreciated for everything they do,” said Danielle Davidson, 25, of Lacey.

But how do you show that appreciation? The stay-at-home mom believes the best Mother’s Day gifts are homemade items, such as cards and keepsake items.

“Just something creative from them — not something you can go buy,” said Davidson, who has a 4-month-old son and a 4-year-old daughter. “Something that they took the time to make.”

The Olympian caught up with Davidson and other soccer moms standing on the sidelines at Rainier Vista Park in Lacey to find out their favorite Mother’s Day presents.

Shaleeni Fortner

Age: 31

City: Lacey

Children: 8-month-old son and 5-year-old daughter

Occupation: Registered nurse

Favorite gift: A clay pot painted by her daughter “with a little plant that she grew for me.”

Carolyn Sanchez

Age: 41

City: Olympia

Children: 9-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter

Occupation: Works in criminal records division at the Washington State Patrol

Favorite gift: “Last year, I got a very, very generous gift card to Cold Water Creek. I went shopping, and I got to pick out what I wanted.”

Lynley Olson

Age: 37

City: Unincorporated Olympia

Children: 5-year-old son, 8-year-old son, and 11-year-old daughter

Occupation: Youth ministry coordinator and school counselor

Favorite gift: Yard work to create a new garden area. “They cleared it out so I could make a garden,” she said. “They lined up the bricks and everything. It was sweet.”

Lisa Pemberton writes for The Olympian. Contact her at lpemberton@theolympian.com. Moms remember special gifts

The Olympian

The Olympian asked member of its Reader Network to share their favorite Mother’s Day gifts. Here’s a sampling of the responses:

n n n

The best gift I got was one hour of pure heaven soaking in a giant hot tub at the Bangor Submarine Base pool. My daughter asked me what I wanted to do, and she convinced her father to make it happen.

That little bit of radiated heat never felt so good.

– Nicole Gordon, 49, Olympia

n n n

There have been many presents, but the one that meant the most to me was a beautiful card from my daughter telling me how much my love and support meant to her and had helped to get her through the hard times — how my loving integrity had helped her to become the person she is today (someone I am very proud of, by the way).

– Pat Perry, Olympia

n n n

One of my best Mother’s Day gifts was given to me by one of my adult sons. He and I both love to cook and experiment with new foods. He surprised me with a cooking class at Bayview for both of us. Not only did I have an enjoyable experience with the class, but it was really wonderful to share it with him.

– Barbara K. Burke, Olympia

n n n

Last year, my 15-year-old son wrote me a note wishing me Happy Mother’s Day. In this note, he told me he realizes that even though he may never remember to tell me, he thinks that I am a great mom and he appreciates all I have done to make our lives happy and thanked me for sacrificing and working hard to take care of him every day.

I still cry every time I read it!

That note is probably the best gift I have ever received in my life.

– Lisa Ireland, Yelm

n n n

The best gift was a rocking chair — a big gift from my four daughters when they were still in elementary school or just out, about middle-school age. They pooled their money and bought it for me at the PX in Germany.

Patricia, our youngest, who was about 4 at the time, spilled the beans when she said, “Mama, you are going to just love your …” then she clapped her hands over her mouth and blurted, “your rocking horse.”

– Dorris Hensel, Olympia

n n n

The best Mother’s Day gift was when my middle son was born May 7, 1982. The following week, it was Mother’s Day. We brought him to church. They called to the front the mother with the most children, the mother with the most grandchildren, and the mother with the youngest child.

Paul undoubtedly was the youngest child there because he was only a week old. I was presented with a beautiful plant.

That is the Mother’s Day I remember the most.

– Denise Morrison, McCleary

n n n

My best Mother’s Day gift is the warmth and affection my stepson Ed has shown me through the years. He was 18 when his dad and I got married, and I didn’t know what to expect. But Ed welcomed me as family, and my life has been the richer for it.

Sure, he’s brought me some beautiful plants and other gifts for Mother’s Day on occasion, but what means the most is the family bonds that run deeply through our lives.

Ed is married with two boys now, and I’m blessed to have him, his wife, Lynn, and our grandsons, Matt and Sam, living nearby.

Mother’s Day is a great idea, but a loving family is a gift that I’m thankful for 24-7-365.

– Kay Flaisig, 53, Olympia

n n n

Many Mother’s Days we’ve shared with other moms and their children who do not have a dad in their lives to help facilitate honoring the moms.

My husband usually pilots our boat, Bella Lighthouse, to Seattle or Bainbridge Island for a day tour.

During the cruise, my sons Tyler, Hunter and Jeremy attend to the “guest moms,” providing meal service, snacks and deck work.

I think this is a special remembrance our family has been able to create for deserving moms. This year, we’ll invite moms to visit us at Percival Landing where Bella Lighthouse will be on display for the Wooden Boat Festival.

For me personally, the most touching gift has been to witness Tyler’s growth as a writer. It is his custom to write me long, mushy love letters on Mother’s Day. They were cute when he was 4 and 5 and 6 and 7.

But now, his Mother’s Day letters have become elaborately composed, fully illustrated poems. Each letter becomes more dear as it is rare for 16-year-olds to express their affections so eloquently. Tyler has created a tradition to which his younger brother, Hunter, has subscribed.

I can only hope this year will be as the others — helping kids honor their moms, spending quality time together aboard Bella Lighthouse, and love letters or poetry from my boys!

– Cynthia Kettel, 50, Olympia

n n n

An exceptional Mother’s Day gift for me was enjoyed last year.

In May 2007, my celebration involved a cross-country trip from the state of Washington to the state of Maine. My goal was to spend Mother’s Day with a very special 87-year-old woman, my Aunt Eleanore. As my mother’s only sibling, this aunt has become like a mother to me.

However, I didn’t always have a close relationship with this relative. The distance we live from one another didn’t help. Aunt Eleonore lives 3,000 miles away in a small coastal town in Maine. I have lived in Western Washington for the past 50 years. It was on a vacation in 1969 when I first met my Aunt Eleanore.

Then 20 years later, when my mother died at the age of 61, I b ecame much closer to Aunt El eanore. She has been a special source of nurturing for me. Her many cards, letters and phone calls have been priceless gifts.

However, exchanging hugs and conversing in person with this woman on Mother’s Day 2007 will always remain an exceptional memory for me.

– Lydia R. Franzen, Rochester

—–

To see more of The Olympian, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.theolympian.com.

Copyright (c) 2008, The Olympian, Olympia, Wash.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.