Mother Your Mother This Mother's Day

Lucky for me my mother has strong shoulders, because I cry on them often. Learning how to raise a child with special needs has taken a toll on our family. Of course there’s been joy and plenty of laughter and an insane amount of punning (my mom = the Queen of the Punsters), but I’ve also had to lean on her. I’m a mom now, but I still need to be mothered sometimes too.

Yesterday my mum turned 65. Ever young at heart, retiring from her job was not on her radar. “Retirement?” she balked, “That’s for old people.” We never feel our age, no matter how old we are.

But then something inevitably happens that makes you face reality head on. Somebody close to you becomes ill, a sister perhaps, and you are reminded of the tenacity of life and you feel the need to spend time with family now because you know, life goes by too quickly.

Suddenly retirement doesn’t seem quite so ridiculous. In fact, leaving a career behind in favour of time spent with loved ones becomes the only thing on your radar.

And so in a few months, my mum is going to join my dad in retirement (and they’ll try not to drive each other crazy…a story for another post).

I f~~orced~~ suggested my mom take the day off work on her birthday. It was a struggle but she relented. My dad looked after my daughter and I took my mom out for her surprise. On the drive to Dove Spa my mum asked if we’d be stopping for lunch. She was hungry. I didn’t want the tranquility of our spa experience to be ruined by tummy rumbling, so I pulled into a fast food restaurant. “Surprise!” I exclaimed. “Happy birthday!”

She wasn’t impressed, but this didn’t stop her from ordering a burger to go. I asked if she needed to use the restroom as we had a bit of a drive ahead of us. That question was still lingering in the air as I turned out of the parking lot and directly into the next drive-way to park. The spa was right next door.

My mother laughed and *may* have called me a rude name. “We’re going to Dove Spa??!!” she squealed.

And so began our mother-daughter day together.

We got the full treatment at Dove Spa (aka, the most serene place on earth). Ironically, our treatment package was called the “Time To Get Together” experience.

Our treatment included:

– a Skin Talk diagnostic which measures the oil, water, elasticity and pigmentation levels – results and suggested treatments/products are printed for you
– 30 minute massage
– facial
– scalp massage
– fingernail and toenail polish

The door between our two treatment rooms was open so we could be together. I was tempted to take a photo of my mom during her facial (she looked so beautiful and relaxed) but my sweet mama threatened me with adoption if I took photos “during.”

After our treatment we relaxed in the lounge sipping green tea and laughing hysterically. Oh wait, I was the only one laughing; as my mom walked into the room, post scalp massage I couldn’t help but joke, “Have a seat, Kramer!” Good times…sigh…good times.