"I was struck with wonder..." ~ Jane Eyre

10 Things That Remind Me of My Wonderful Mother
I am very fortunate to have a very special mother. I know there are many people without their mothers today, and my thoughts are with you. I don't take having my mother in my life for granted.

1o. The Wonder Years ~ My mother and I watched the television show together religiously each week of every season it was on. Clearing up dinner would have to wait on the nights the show was on until after it ended. My favorite character was Paul, my mother's was Kevin. One of the episodes I remember viewing with her vividly was the one where Winnie Cooper got the lead in Our Town. My mother and I cried at the end when she performed the character Emily's famous "goodbye world" scene. As much as I think my mother and I watched that show to laugh at Kevin Arnold's sweet debacles, I think we also watched it because of the hope it gave when serious issues were presented. When I hear "With a Little Help From My Friends," I think of my mother always.

9. Chocolate ~ I think my mother is to blame for my chocolate addiction. This woman fed it to me at a very tender age. She also used to have to get chocolate stains out of my shirts when I was of a tender age. I had a tendency to always get chocolate ice cream on my t-shirts in the summertime so much that it is still a joke between me and my mom.

8. Little Women ~ My mother is Marmee, hands down. Missy is Beth, the older sister who is responsible and mature. Robin is Jo, who is feisty and rebellious. Yes, I am true to my namesake, Amy: sweet and a bit bratty. The year after I graduated Wheatley, they did a production of the play version and I went with my mother. We both enjoyed it so very much.

7. Words, words, words ~ While I get my passion for reading from my father, my passion for writing comes from my mother. She is a very talented writer. A few nights before Jack was born, she wrote a letter to him. She read it the night we brought Jack home from the hospital; it was just beautiful and I know he will love reading it someday and treasure it always. My sisters and I tease my mom about her love of Hallmark cards, but I save each one she writes to me because her words mean so much.

6. Pressure Cooker ~ I know it sounds so odd, but anytime I see a pressure cooker being used on Food Network, I think of my mother. She used it all the time when I was growing up. I loved hearing the hiss sound from it because it meant she was making mashed potatoes; her mashed potatoes were delicious. Recently I saw Alton Brown do an entire Good Eats episode on pressure cooking. My mother is a brave women; I am too damn scared to even think about every owning a pressure cooker.

5. Slippers ~ My mother was and is obsessed with slippers. The minute you walked into my house, shoes came off and slippers were waiting at the door. I think my sisters and I had three pairs of slippers a piece at any given time. This past Christmas I got her a funky blue pair from Lord and Taylor since she likes to wear slippers around my sister's house when taking care of Jack. Jack loves this slippers and giggles anytime he looks at her feet.

4. The Democratic Party ~ My mother was a goody two shoes and was no hippie in the 60's, but just because she isn't ultra-liberal doesnt mean that she isn't a staunch Democrat. I remember her following politics closely in the 80's when I was a child; she especially loved Michael Dukakis and was hoping he would win the election in '88. My mother is a Kennedy lover, and my intrigue for that dynasty stems from her.

3. Mystery Novels ~ My mom loves mystery and suspense. I sometimes think she missed her calling as a detective since she can be very nosy, especially when it comes to my life and the lives of my sisters. Still, any time I pick up a mystery novel I think of her.

2. Perfume ~ My mother always had a beautiful tray with various perfumes on her bureau. My father got her a different bottle each Christmas, Mother's Day, and birthday. As a child, I remember smelling scents like Poison, Shalimar, and Giorgio Beverly Hills. Sometimes if I was sad or upset, my mother would spray a little on me to make me feel better.

1. Autumn Leaves ~ Just like her father, my mother loves the autumn. It is always her favorite time of year, and many of my best childhood memories with her involve activities in the fall, whether it was going to Hicks Nursery, taking drives up to the Catskills when my grandparents lived there, or the Renaissance Fair she and I attended at Sands Point Preserve.