Sunday after church, we rushed to Red Lobster for lunch and then on to the theatre to drop our actress off for her matinee show. In the midst of all that, my loving brood presented me with their Mother's Day cards and gifts. LuLu's is pictured here.

LuLu is definitely a part of our family, by virtue of her developing sense of humor. I think she was drawn to this card, not because of its appropriate humor, but because smoking and drinking beer are behaviors she's strangely drawn to, obsesses about, and professes she will never do. (FYI, the inside says "The great ones never are.")

When I opened her card (which she insisted I open FIRST), she quickly pointed out "That's not me, Mom. I don't smoke or drink beer or sit in a high chair." The whole family was rolling with laughter by then.

KayKay took the sentimental approach. Short on time with all this acting business, she didn't have time to shop for a card. So she wrote me a surprisingly long letter (during church no less, but who's being particular) that ended with

"And most of all, thanks for your love. There is nothing greater than love. You have given me so much, there is no way for me to thank you. We may not be a perfect family, but you are a perfect mother."

Her view, admittedly biased, made me teary-eyed anyway.

Her big sis, my stepdaughter, took the service approach. She offered to drive us Saturday morning to the church's Mother/Daughter brunch. Her offer to drive was much welcomed after my surgery. At 20, her maturity always catches me off-guard. She's not a kid any more.

And big brother, my stepson, along with stepdaughter, snuck into our house while the rest of us were at lunch, leaving a beautiful blooming Star of Bethlehem plant that will be a lovely addition to my garden.

And dear hubby, besides footing the bill for dinner, gave me a certificate for 1/2 day at the local spa (ok, it was signed from the kids, but I know whose idea it was really!)

All in all, one of the best Mother's Days in our household for a while.

card is copyrighted by "Recycled Paper Greetings".