Happy Mother's Day To Mom & All You Other Mothers

That is my mom and dad, first week of 2009, at Fair Park in Dallas, with my dad texting and my mom telling my dad what to text.

As the years have passed I've realized more and more how blessed I was in the mom and dad department.

I've long been told I was in a Leave it to Beaver type family situation. I have never seen it that way.

Growing up I thought everyone had a mom who made them breakfast, packed a lunch and that all families always had dinner together at the dinner table.

Several times a week clothes would show up on my bed, ironed and folded. It was my job to put them away.

Each of my siblings, and myself had a job to do at dinner. I set the table and cleared it. My brother and oldest sister alternated as to who washed or dried the dishes. I took out the garbage.

My love of a long roadtrip came from both my mom and dad. No matter what happened they were unflappable. I remember our first trip to California and Disneyland. Less than 30 miles into our trip the trailer had a malfunction. My dad took the broken part off, we drove into the next town south, had it welded, drove back to the trailer and were soon on our way, with my mom making us ham and cheese on homemade potato rolls as we drove along.

We had another vehicle problem that trip. This occurred in Hollywood. Mom and dad had the car worked on while me and my brother had fun exploring Hollywood for hours. Several years later my Mustang's clutch went out after leaving Paramount studios and a TV show taping. We spent the night in a service station parking lot, calmly waiting for morning. It all worked out. Just like things always did with my mom and dad. I learned from them to stay calm and make the best of whatever it is that has happened.

I remember a flat tire in Death Valley, 5 miles from our destination of Stovepipe Wells, where I had reservations. Some in my traveling party of 6 got all stressed out. Over a flat tire. All I thought was worst case scenario, we walk 5 miles to Stovepipe Wells and get help. There was no cell phone service in Death Valley at that point in time.

Another thing I learned from my mom is how to cook. Before I left for college my mom insisted I learn how to make 6 things. I was a bit resistant, but mom told me I would be grateful later. She was right. I can't remember all 6 things, but some of them were beef stroganoff, beef and biscuit casserole and basics like how to cut up a chicken and oven bake it.

I remember getting lessons on how to iron clothes. I've never made use of those lessons. I don't think I own an iron.

Anyway, Happy Mother's Day to mom and all you other mothers out there.