mother’s day feels
The Questions I Asked My Son This Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day feels differently these days.
Not only because motherhood itself has changed for me, but because tomorrow I’ll be helping move my now 19-year-old son out of his first year of college dorm life for summer break. Watching Braxton grow into his own life has been one of the greatest honors of mine… but it also reminds me how quickly time moves.
My one and only. How did I get so lucky to be his mom?
God knew exactly what I needed — not only in a son, but in my own mother too.
And while I’m celebrating being a mom, I’m deeply missing my own.
This will be the third Mother’s Day without her.
Movies, Memories & My Mom
My mom and I always found something special to do together. Sometimes it was something simple — like going to the movies. One of my favorite memories was when she took me to see Mannequin — the 1987 romantic comedy — for the very first time.
That movie awakened something in me.
My love for fashion. Posing. Dreaming. Window displays. Beauty. Imagination.
I remember walking out of that theater completely mesmerized by the magic of it all, wanting to become a window dresser someday, just like the character Hollywood.
“Come here, Hollywood.”
A line from the movie that somehow stayed with me all these years later.
To most people, Mannequin was just a quirky romantic comedy… but to me, it felt like possibility.
But that movie also gave my mom and me something else.
A song.
Just a few years later, when my parents went through a painful divorce after 21 years of marriage, “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” by Starship stopped being just a movie soundtrack.
It became survival.
“Put your hand in my hand, baby, don’t ever look back
Let the world around us just fall apart
Baby, we can make it if we’re heart to heart…”
That song became the soundtrack to my mom and me rebuilding a life together after everything we knew changed.
Late-night drives. Tears. Laughter. Starting over.
And somehow, through heartbreak and uncertainty, my mom still made me feel safe.
Mother’s Day now carries all of it at once: gratitude, grief, memories, pride, ache, love.
And maybe that’s what motherhood really is, darlin’.
Holding joy in one hand…
and heartache in the other…
while loving anyway.
A Little Mother & Son Q&A
So this Mother’s Day, I asked my son a few questions. Partly because I wanted something tangible to hold onto from this season of life — a reminder while I’m still here to cherish it all. And partly because motherhood moves so quickly that sometimes we forget to pause and ask the people we love what they actually carry with them about us.
Honestly? I loved this so much. It felt like a gift that keeps on giving.
What’s the most “mom” thing I do?
“Being able to multitask effectively.
Like cleaning and talking on the phone.”
What’s something I say all the time that you’ll probably hear in your head forever?
“You try driving in platforms.”
This is something I say a lot when I mess up. He gets me… and he knows Clueless is one of my favorite movies.
What’s one thing about me that your friends would say is accurate?
“That you are very nice and will help any of them out if they need it.”
What’s something I embarrassingly overreact to?
“If I say that I’m not feeling well because you’re a germaphobe.”
Facts.
What’s one thing you appreciate now that you definitely didn’t appreciate growing up?
“Being stricter on me about certain things.”
If you’re a mom, you know sometimes the hardest part is wondering if the things that upset them now will someday make sense later.
What’s one thing college made you realize about moms?
“How much they love their kids.”
Simple. But enough to make my heart smile.
What’s something moms think they’re hiding from their kids… but kids totally notice?
“Anytime they argue with their partners or are mad at them. Pretty easy to read the room.”
Honestly? They really are watching.
What’s something you think people don’t understand about guys your age?
“That playing video games is fun and not lazy haha.”
What’s something you wish moms understood about this generation?
“The difference between K, Ok, and Okay.”
I laughed harder at that than I probably should have… and then immediately had to ask him what the difference actually was.
When do you feel most loved by me?
“24/7.”
What’s one memory with me you’ll probably never forget?
“I plead the fifth for your sake.” Which honestly sounds exactly like something my child would say.
However, since I am not so darlin’, let’s just say I once had an unfortunate accident while he was in the car with me. Thank you, GI distress. Motherhood is beautiful and humbling.
The Women Who Helped Raise Him
One thing I loved most about these questions was realizing how many women helped shape the person my son is becoming.
What’s one thing MiMi taught you? (my mom)
“To always love and respect my mother.”
What’s your favorite memory of MiMi?
“Anytime me and her were together. There isn’t one instance I would pick over the other.”
That answer alone felt like a hug.
What’s something Godmother Stacie taught you?
“To be myself no matter what others think.”
What’s your favorite memory with her?
“Anytime I got to go over there and spend time with them. She always made good chocolate milk as well.”
It’s funny how the smallest things become the biggest memories.
Even though you barely knew Grandma Josie, what’s something you’ve heard about her that stuck with you?
“That she was the funniest person ever.”
That one made me smile instantly because… accurate.
What’s something Grandma Susan has taught you? (Brian’s mom)
“Pepsi is way better than Coke. To trust my family and that they will help me anytime I might need it.”
Honestly, a pretty solid life lesson package.
The Answers That Broke Me Open
Some questions I almost didn’t ask because I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear the answers.
What’s one thing I could’ve done better as a mom?
“Nothing, genuinely. You did the best you could for me.”
And if you’re a mom reading this… you know those words hit somewhere deep. Because most of us quietly walk around wondering if we did enough.
Loved enough.
Protected enough.
Showed up enough.
What’s something you understand about me now that you didn’t when you were younger?
“That you’ve struggled with problems and overcame them.”
For me, that meant struggling with an eating disorder and mental health issues while still trying to be the best mom I could be. There’s something bittersweet about your child finally realizing you were a person too.
Not just “Mom.”
A human being trying to survive life while raising someone you loved more than yourself.
If you had to describe me in three words as a mom, what would they be?
“Caring, Loving, and Compassionate.”
And then the final question.
The one that completely undid me.
What’s something you think I need to hear this Mother’s Day?
“I love you more than spring flowers.”
This was something he once read to me in elementary school in front of all the other moms and kids. And every single time, I answered back: “I love you more than words can say.”
For Anyone Missing Their Mom This Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day can be beautiful for some… and deeply tender for others. If your mother is no longer here, this day can stir grief, love, memories, longing, gratitude, sadness, or emotions that are hard to name.
So I created a gentle guided talk + meditation as a soft place to land for anyone missing their mom this Mother’s Day.
Whether your relationship was beautiful, complicated, or somewhere in between… you are welcome here.
Come as you are, darlin’. 🤍
So this Mother’s Day, whether you’re celebrating, grieving, mothering, healing, missing someone, or figuring out what motherhood even means in this season of your life…
I hope you remember this:
Love changes shape over the years, but it never really leaves us.
Not the love from our mothers.
Not the love we pour into our children.
Not the memories.
Not the songs.
Not the moments that quietly become part of who we are.
And somewhere between grief and gratitude…
between moving dorm boxes and remembering movie quotes…
between motherhood and daughterhood…
We keep loving anyway.
Happy Mother’s Day, darlin’.