For Mother’s Day I could write about what a great mom Laura is to our kids (and she is).  I could write about how blessed I am to have the mother-in-law that I have (and I am blessed).  Maybe I’ll tell a story about one of them if I’m still doing this in 2010.  But this year I’m telling a story about my mom.

I was heading out the door to attend a football game with my dad.  Mom stopped us at the door to ask about what I was wearing.  She thought I would get too cold dressed like I was.

I was about thirty-two years old at the time.

I recall thinking to myself that maybe mom should accept that I am a fully responsible adult capable of dressing myself.  And by thirty-two I had been for many years.  Out of respect for her I kept such thoughts to myself and grabbed a heavy coat out of the closet to throw in the car “just in case.”  Probably she could tell that I didn’t think I needed the coat.  I figured it was best to just take it with me so she wouldn’t worry, but I would just leave it in the car.

Holy frijoles was it cold when Dad and I exited the car in that windswept parking lot.

I wore that coat zipped all the way up to my chin, the entire game, and I still almost froze to death.  If I had somehow had access to an unlimited supply of that coat I cannot reliably determine how many coats I would have been wearing by the end of that game.  At least one on each leg and maybe three on top.

And to think I almost didn’t even have the one.

So I learned that no matter how old I get, I should always listen to Mom.  Love you, Mom.  Happy Mother’s Day!