With Mother’s Day coming up, I thought I would take the opportunity to shout out to some of the special moms in my orbit. This should also be your notice to get on it if you haven’t started your celebratory plans.
First and foremost, there’s Annie — my wife and mother to Ella and Beatrice. Annie is so incredibly kind and patient with our children. She’s present and thoughtful and always available to get into the trenches with them when a problem surfaces. It’s amazing to see Annie navigate the demands of motherhood and then take all of that empathy and passion to her classroom every day. And let’s be honest: I’m like another big kid over here mucking things up on the regular. Happy Mother’s Day, Annie!
Then there are my neighbors, Janina and Anna. Janina is mom to Jack, who is almost two years old. Anna is mom to Lena, who is almost one year old. Jack is all boy, all the time, and puts Janina through her paces constantly and consistently. If you take your eyes off Jack, there’s no telling what type of mischief he’ll get into. Janina is calm and nurturing as she redirects Jack with love and encouragement. You know their bond is strong when Jack cries as Janina leaves to take her daily lunch walk.
Anna had Lena smack-dab in the middle of the pandemic and has been such a joy to watch as she brings Lena outside for sunshine time as often as the weather permits. She’s also so caring and attentive as they play and frolic in the front yard. The neighbors on North Belvedere all can’t wait to see her walking and talking up a storm. It won’t be long now until Lena is running things. Happy Mother’s Day, Janina and Anna!
Next up is my mother-in-law Cheryl. Cheryl is in the midst of some heavy things in her life as she cares for her husband of 53 years who has Alzheimer’s. It would be an understatement to say she is handling it with grace, compassion, and above all, love. She also has four kids who range in age and who all have kids of their own, from babies to 20-somethings. Cheryl is as patient as they come, and calm and realistic about life. She always makes me laugh and does the little things that moms do to make you feel special. Happy Mother’s Day, Cheryl!
And last but not least, there’s Susan Marie Hulett, my mom. She’s had a rough go of it these past years with some unruly health problems, but she’s stayed the course and is ready to get through this pandemic and start creating some more family memories. We’re all vaccinated now, so we’ll soon be making plans for my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary celebration next year. My mom and I have a special bond, as we have always been the ones who make sure my dad and brother have what they need. Because of that, we get to poke fun at them. It’s quite funny, and we are only kidding — most of the time. My mom has always been the one to tell me that I need to learn to say no, stop burning the candle at both ends, prioritize what’s important, and just relax. I’m grateful for those messages and the encouragement for 42-plus years. Happy Mother’s Day, mom!
To all the mothers out there — I salute you.
Jeff Hulett is a freelance writer, musician, and PR consultant in Memphis. He lives in the Vollintine Evergreen neighborhood with his wife Annie, two girls Ella and Beatrice, and two dogs Chalupa and Princess Freckles.