Table of Contents
Introduction xvii
1 A Mother's Love
A Mother Is Born Regina Phillips 2
Light Jacquelyn Mitchard 4
Spring of '59 Jean Kinsey 11
Confessions Linda Sultan 16
The Reunion Kathy N. Jublou 17
The Needle Julie Firman 22
The Education Ring Brenda Jordan 25
Selfless Support Elizabeth Bezant 29
The Princess Dress Anne Goodrich 32
The Birth of Daughters Karen C. Driscoll 34
Moving in with Mom Carol Sjostrom Miller 37
The Rocker Kendeyl Johansen 42
Always a Mother Elizabeth Sharp Vinson 45
2 A Daughter's Love
Abigail's Dove Karen Majoris-Garrison 48
The Mother of Mother's Day Hallmark 53
In Your Eyes Melissa Peek 55
A Bus Trip for Mom on Mother's Day Anne Schraff 57
Arm in Arm Pam Robbins 60
The World's Worst Mother Polly Anne Wise 63
My Original Role Deborah Shouse 66
A Secret for Mom Susan Spence 69
And You Always Will LeAnn R. Ralph 72
Things I Never Told My Mother Eda LeShan 75
Is It Asking Too Much? The Reverend Melissa Hollerith 78
3 Memories
The Magic Jar Years Cassie Moore 82
The Best Day Ever Patricia Lorenz 84
The Nicest Thing My Mother Ever Said to Me Marilyn Pribus 87
The Queen of Coleslaw Annmarie Tait 90
The Magic Pillow Nancy B. Gibbs 93
Monkey Bar Courage Karen C. Driscoll 97
Nothing but the Truth Winfield Firman 99
Cinderella Tekla Dennison Miller 100
Thirsty Nancy B. Gibbs 105
Don't Close the Door Christie Kelley Montone 108
Happy Birthday, Baby Kim Childs 111
Making Memories Tonna Canfield 114
4 Challenges
A Second Chance Cynthia Blatchford 118
Little Dolly Jennifer M. Paquette 120
Pantyhose Hair Annette Marie Hyder 123
An Angel in Disguise Alice Lundy Blum 128
Clothes Closet Reflections Patricia Lorenz 132
Certificate of Graduation from Childhood into Adolescence Rebecca Reid 136
And Baby Makes Two Cie Simurro 139
Who'll Water My Teardrops? Win Herberg 143
The Nightgown Alicia Nordan 148
Climb On Judy Henning 154
Heave Ho Betty A. King 158
Fifteen-Minute Rule Ferna Lary Mills 161
You Have to Try, Mom Paul Karrer 163
The Death I Shared with My Mother Eda LeShan 165
5 Lessons
A Cup of Coffee Barb Huff 172
Perfect Vision Karen C. Driscoll 177
A Fib and the Matinee Mary Alice Dress Baumgardner 182
The Littlest Daughter Julie Firman 185
Chasing Butterflies Karen Majoris-Garrison 187
The Rag Doll Sandra Schnell 191
More Than a Pair of Gloves Julia Alene Doyle 194
The Gift Anne Lambert 196
Running Role Model Mindy Pollack-Fusi 200
The Stick Paula D'Arcy 205
What a Grandmother Is Patsy Gray, aged 9 208
Thoughts on Being a Grandmother Donna M. Hoffman 211
6 Like Mother, Like Daughter
I Am My Mother Anne Tews Schwab 217
The Baby Book Julie Bete 220
Beach Talk Judith Marks-White 223
The Bentwood Rocker Cindy Phiffer 227
Lullaby for My Mother Bella Kudatsky 229
The Deep "Well!" Karen O. Krakower 230
Yeah? Well … Whatever! Phyllis W. Zeno 234
The Look M. M. English 236
Mom SAID/She MEANT Donna Lee 239
Take My Hand Charlotte A. Lanham 243
Thanksgiving Dinner and Infant Seats Frances Firman Salorio 247
Letting Go and Holding On Lisa West 250
7 Loss and Healing
Mama-Cat Lynn Seely 254
All My Mothers Mary Seehafer Sears 259
The Ring Kelly Salasin 262
Hold Your Head up High Vickie Leach 265
The Lost Heart Therese Brady Donohue 267
Blessings Colleen Foye Bollen 270
The Prom That Almost Wasn't Kate Clabough 275
The Cosmic Click Rachel Fink 278
A Legacy of Love Joan Borysenko 281
A Message for the Bride Eileen Hehl 285
Lunch Dates Laura Lagana 288
Angel Escort Elissa Hadley Conklin 292
The Club Susan B. Townsend 297
Mother's Goblets Debra Ann Pawlak 299
8 Timeless Wisdom
"Is It Fun Being a Mommy?" DeAnna Sanders 306
Résumé of the Heart Kathleen Swartz McQuaig 310
Girls Phyllis W. Zeno 312
The Little Jungle Donna Thiel-Kline 315
I Love My Body … Now Regina Phillips 318
Thank Heaven for My Mother-in-Law Judy Perry 322
The Unwrapped Gift Sallie Rodman 324
Sunflower Success Kristal M. Parker 326
A Mother Listens Carolee Hudgins 329
If I Could Be a Mother Again Julie Firman 331
Who Is Jack Canfield? 334
Who Is Mark Victor Hansen? 335
Who Is Dorothy Firman? 336
Who Is Julie Firman? 337
Who Is Frances Firman Salorio? 338
Contributors 339
Permissions 351
