Columnist John Katsilometes: Giving Mom the due she deserves

She gets one day every year. One measly day.

She deserves many more.

She deserves a day for when she gently informed you that, in the world of Garanimals, the orange giraffe did not match the green turtle.

For when she made the Cream of Wheat with butter and brown sugar.

For when she didn't complain every Saturday when the day began with kiddie shows, starting with "Super Friends" and ending hours later with "Hong Kong Phooey."

For years later when she let you stay up late for the original "Saturday Night Live."

For the time she took you to your first pro baseball game -- Bat Day -- and taught you that the guy throwing the ball was "the pitcher" and to watch No. 44 for the Braves, Henry Aaron.

For when she bought you the special, double-edition "Archie" comic books.

For when she made lasagna and let you test the sauce. Over and over.

For when she took your temperature and felt your forehead when you were sick.

For when she found your cleats 10 minutes before a Little League all-star game and prevented a crushing forfeit for the Ross Park Bronco League champs.

For when she pinned a corsage on your date for the junior prom because your hands were too shaky.

For when she underestimated (by a lot) the cost of the rehearsal dinner at your wedding, but still smiled and cried through the whole thing.

For her funky album collection in the '70s, which included the Spinners, Tavares, Stevie Wonder, the Jackson 5, Aretha Franklin and Isaac Hayes.

For introducing you to "Sesame Street," and buying Bert and Ernie puppets for you and your brother.

For providing an eclectic collection of toys, including the noisy Smash-Up Derby cars, electric football (which never, ever worked) and Soccer Boppers.

For not enforcing too stiff a punishment when bouts with Soccer Boppers resulted in bloody noses.

For not throwing out every Hot Wheels car she stepped on in bare feet.

For helping us paint the garage, rake the leaves and shovel snow from the sidewalk.

For calming down Mrs. Jensen, who didn't like the neighbor kids golfing on her lawn.

For holding your hand while an emergency room doctor administered to a bloody broken big toe.

For keeping the family businesses -- first a veterinary clinic and then a farm -- afloat by keeping the books organized and the family sane.

For taking you to your first real rock concert -- Seals & Crofts at the Minidome in Pocatello, Idaho.

For coming to your rescue when you fainted from pure tension after reading from the Bible during Easter Sunday Mass.

For milking the Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny and Santa Claus for all they were worth.

For spending hours on makeup and wardrobe design for countless Halloween parties.

For entrusting a newly licensed driver with the family car just after he passed his driving test.

For teaching the importance of family.

For taking the bad with the good.

For being a friend, confidante and inspiration.

Today, she's awarded Mother's Day. But for some of us, it's every day.

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