Mothers always know best

And they are usually right too, even when you think you've "won", the glory is usually short lived when someway, somehow, it hits you. She was right!. I had one of those moments this morning. For the most part, I have truly enjoyed the mother/daughter relationship dynamic of my twenties. Phone conversations everyday about grown up topics, surprising her with gifts she has always wanted with my adult salary, planning my wedding, and asking for advice on how to be a good wife. However, as she often likes to remind me, she will "always be my mother" which entails protecting me and looking out for my well-being....even when it infuriates me.
One way she does this, is buying me things that she feels is crucial to my survival, even if I already have a dozen. "One more doesn't hurt" she says, or "this one is better" she explains. Even when I see no logical use for the item in my life, "There will be a day when you need it". I know I will never win the battle of explaining to her my lack of need for this item, no matter how subtle or blunt I am, yet I still feel the need to challenge her motherly instinct.
This Christmas, she gave me one of these things, which is a pretty common household item, a box of Q-tips she found on sale. My first daughterly rebelious thought was, why would she feel the need to buy Q-tips on sale, they only cost about $3.00 anyway. I can surely afford a box of Q-tips. My second, less rebelious but still frustrated thought was, why out of all the gifts and stocking stuffers she has gotten us, would she hold on to this box of Q-tips just for me to take home, four hours away? With it being Christmas, I decided not to challenge her to a verbal debate over Q-tips. I thanked her, tossed the box of Q-tips in with all the other wonderful gifts her and my stepdad showered us with, and went on my merry way. Once home, I put the box under the sink with all our other surplus supplies, and forgot about them.
Forgot about them that is, until this morning. I am a Q-tip junkie, which is perhaps why my mother felt the need to get me a large box and two additional travel packs in my Christmas stocking. I find at least four uses for a Q-tip every day. This morning at 7:00a, I reached for my daily Q-tip fix in the top drawer only to find I was out. Instantly I was annoyed seeing how I was just at Wal-Mart and CVS the day before. And then I remembered Mom had gotten me a box for Christmas. I was so excited to not have to waste another lunch break to the store and go all day with the feeling of wet ears. Then another thought hit me, of that Christmas visit where I was so annoyed with this small gesture and the seemingly uneeded box of Q-tips. I smiled and shook my head. I will have to call her this evening and thank her for always thinking of me, let her know that she will always be my mother, no matter how old I get, and at least this time, she did know best.

My mom and I at our wedding.

Picture taken by Marvelous Things Photography