Nurses and Mothers

This week is Nurse’s Appreciation Week. And as I work with nurses whom I REALLY appreciation, admire and even love; I made them little loaves of pumpkin bread.

“Is this for Mother’s Day?” Jill asked me when I gave her a loaf.

“Um, no, Jill,” I answered. “It’s Nurse’s Appreciation Week.”

“Is it? Well, just so you know, Melissa, I consider you my Texas daughter.”

I laughed – flattered. “I think I have lots of ‘Texas’ mothers,” I said.

“Oh, you do.”

A half hour later, Debbie came into the office and I gave her a loaf.

“It’s not for Mother’s Day,” Jill warned her. “It’s Nurse’s Appreciation Week.”

“Although Jill told me I have lots I mothers,” I added.

“Of course you do,” Debbie said as only Debbie can in her matter-of-fact tone. “Don’t you know we sit around and discuss what is best for you?”

Wouldn’t I love to be a fly on the wall for those conversations! For I know what Debbie said is true. The five nurses I work with on a daily basis (and now six counting our Home Health agency nurse – and even seven if you count the on-call nurse I don’t speak with daily but do work with) do love and care for me like a daughter. They want to know what is going on in my life, what I do with my weekends, if I’m drinking enough fluids when I’m sick, what I’m reading, if they can help me in the office. They also gripe and complain when I go on vacation – and then they welcome me back with songs of praise when I return. An adopted daughter could not be more loved or cared for. So, perhaps I should have added Mother’s Day cards to their Nurse’s Appreciation gifts.

But just so you know, not one of those women who I admire for many different reasons could ever replace my mom. Mom was my first nurse. Also my first teacher, chauffeur, personal private investigator, financial wizard, mediator, psychologist, counselor, cook, seamstress, maid, coach…etc., etc., etc. A thousand years of blogs could not praise her enough. Or tell all she has done for me. Or all she will do for me. And I just want my mother to know that I love her, admire her, appreciate her, and want to be just like her one day: a wife, mother, teacher, cook, private investigator, mediator…and most underpaid person on the entire planet. No matter how old I get, I still need my mom. And as my life changes, I realize I need her all the more. For some days I have no clue what the Lord has gotten me into – no matter how wonderful it all is. But just as my mom taught me how to simplify algebraic equations, I know she can make new aspects of my life simpler. I just hope one day as I can now teach algebra to others, so I can later teach what I learn to my daughters. For true learning is being able to pass on that knowledge to others. Which means my mom has written the book on motherhood – a book I hope the Lord will one day let me apply.