Why we love mom

When Ron Darling recently saw a picture of his newly adopted daughter from China, he couldn’t help but think about how it affected him, much like when his two daughters were born.

“I guess it feels like a birth,” he said. “That’s my child, that’s my daughter.”

Ron and his wife, Beth, of Newport Beach, are celebrating a very special Mother’s Day this year as they prepare to finally meet their adopted daughter Kelly Yiran Darling and take her home from a Chinese orphanage sometime in June. It hadn’t occurred to Ron until a reporter mentioned it that they will get Kelly right around Father’s Day, making both holidays pretty special for the family.

The Darlings have endured a tremendous amount of bureaucratic paperwork to adopt Kelly, but it could have been worse, Ron said. Some couples can wait up to six years. It helped that Ron Darling is an attorney who works with Chinese business companies, so some associates helped the couple get to view some orphanages firsthand. But the influence stopped there, he said.

Now the family is just waiting for authorization to travel to China, the final leg in the adoption process. Meanwhile, daughter Jamie, 14, has taken charge of decorating Kelly’s room and stocking it with toys with plenty of help from sister Cory, 16, and the proud parents, of course.

So, Happy Mother’s Day to the Darlings and everyone else who wrote in to our annual feature of letters to Mom on this special day. The following are your letters, starting with a “note” from Kelly to her new parents (as told to proud Papa Ron):

Mommy:

I am waiting for you in my orphanage in Xinyang, China. I can’t wait to come home and play with my sisters and my two dogs.

I hear that Jamie has been fixing up my bedroom. Thanks, Jamie! I know that I am small, but maybe I could be a coxswain on the crew team like Cory.

It is OK here, but I miss my family. Please come get me soon!

Happy Mother’s Day.

Love,

Kelly Yiran Darling

Dear Mom,

Many are the ways you show your love for your sons: Your kind-hearted smile in times of trouble, your calm lectures as mistakes become lessons, your steadfast involvement from practice to practice and event to event, your genuinely cheerful laugh in times of conversation; just about everything you do says, “I love you.” Well, Mom, nothing could express proper thanks for the abundance of love you have given us so freely, but for today, it’s your turn to be showered with love and praise. You deserve every bit of it. Happy Mother’s Day.

We love you.

Love,

Peter & Dillon

Dear Jenn,

Grayson says: I’ve been gone for four months and still no goody bag?

Kaylin and Kirby say: Your pancakes are BATTER than anyone else’s.

Jeff says: Thanks for being the mom. We love you.

Grayson, Kaylin, Kirby and Jeff

Dear Mom,

Happy Mother’s Day! We love you so much! You are a great Mom because you are loving, understanding and always there for us. You always teach us to live in the present and enjoy life. You set a great example for us to follow and we hope that you have the best Mother’s Day ever!

We love you and we lub you,

Daddy, Sarah, Chase and Tiki

Our Mom is extra special because she cheers us on in sports, encourages us to do well in school, and makes sure we don’t forget anything. We are so lucky to have such a wonderful mom. Thanks for everything! We love you Mom!

Love,

Nick, Jack, and Sammie

We love our Mommy because she gives us lots of hugs and kisses and always plans cool stuff for us to do.

Ryan & Bennett Yonkers

Dear our mom, Linda Anderson,

On this special day, know that you are an amazing Mom and we couldn’t ask for more. I’m sure we’re a handful, but we appreciate how much you contribute and provide for this family. We love you very much, Happy Mother’s Day!

Love,

Molly & Paige Anderson

My mother, Arlene Flanagan, is the most generous person I have ever known. She was the super-mom when I was growing up, raising four spirited daughters and supporting a young husband getting started in his practice. She cooked amazing meals for us (breakfast for all every morning!), cleaned and maintained an immaculate house, packed and unpacked us eight times over the years as we moved for my dad’s career, shuttled us and our friends everywhere, and gave us the most thoughtful gifts. She reached out to, and helped, many others as well.

She took in numerous young people for weeks or months at a time when they needed support or simply an American experience, including a variety of high school and college kids, a priest’s sister from Belgium, two sisters from Mexico City, and a family of six from England. My mom drove her friend to Los Angeles and stayed with him as he dealt with the effects of chemotherapy once a week for months when he became ill with cancer. When my mother’s two sisters died, she stepped up her involvement with their grown children and became a second mother to them — relationships she nurtures to this day.

When her grandchildren were born, she dropped everything to support the new parents. In my case, that meant driving up to the San Fernando Valley once a week for almost three years and spending the day caring for our daughters, grocery shopping, tidying up, and whatever else needed doing. She has continued to be there for all of us these many years. When our daughters were accepted into the Orange County High School of the Arts, she bought a mini-van so she could help with carpool, even though she hated driving one. When my sister needed help caring for her young son, my mom took charge of caring for him from 5 a.m. to the end of the day, five days a week, for years.

My mom, in her 70s now, spends one day a week volunteering at the Costa Mesa Senior Center, answering phones, troubleshooting, and helping wherever she is needed. She also spends countless hours in her role as president of the board. I have been thrilled to see how much the seniors appreciate her when I’ve been in to help with Christmas or Thanksgiving meals at the center, where my mom and dad can always be found on holidays making and serving meals to the seniors. I know they are lucky to have her care for them.

She was previously an active member of the Costa Mesa Human Relations Council and worked hard to improve relations between community members and encourage acceptance, compassion, and kindness toward others.

She has also been active in many local issues and elections over the years, supporting her neighbors and community by providing meals and a rest-stop to volunteers, hosting events, and putting her own feet to use on many occasions.

I am blessed to be one of those loved and cared for by my mother. She is truly one of those rare people who practices kindness and does good things for others without regard to recognition, praise, or reward.

Happy Mother’s Day, Mom! I love you.

Cecilia Flanagan

Of all the titles Zelda Goldstein has had during her many years of life, I would bet that being a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother are among her favorites. She has executed each with poise, class, love, respect and kindness. Despite her fair share of tragedy and tears, she always sees the good that life has to offer and never calls the glass half empty.

Whether it is her yummy chocolate cake, cozy-knitted sweaters and caps, grandma letters, green gum, intimate lunches or warm hugs, everyone in our family knows what it feels like to be loved by Zelda. She is a true matriarch and the glue that helps keep the Goldstein family together.

So I would like to honor Zelda Goldstein this Mother’s Day and be sure she knows how much she means to all of us. We love you, GG!

Love,

Marcie, Ethan, Benjamin & Seth Goldstein

-Farmington Hills, MI

Carol and Mervin Goldstein

-Newport Coast, CA

Dear Mom (Patsy):

From Adams to Tewinkle to Estancia, you sent us off to school happy and prepared; swim meets at Mesa Verde, volleyball in the back yard, gymnastics and little league, you were always there for us; through college to marriage to our children (your grandchildren), you’ve been our emotional rock of support. We want to tell you how much we love and appreciate you on this Mother’s Day 2009.

Your most grateful children,

Brad, Lorie and Pam.

Mama Tav,

Happy Mother’s Day! You are the best Mama ever, and we love you more than anything!

All of our love,

Lulu, Will, Toby, and Dadda Tav

Mother, you are a sculptor, shaping the lives of people you never even intended. You have inspired and understood, while I have admired you throughout your motherhood. I am blessed to call you mother, a mother with a gentle soul and an outgoing presence. You are a beautiful person with a loving demeanor and an animated essence. Your constant love is a fountain overflowing and everlasting. I know I don’t say this enough, but that’s because memories, not words, are the only ways to express my eternal and unconditional love.

Jenna Jarvis, age 13

We love our groovy granny!

Happy Mother’s Day, Annie.

Love,

Susan and Marina

Dear Mommy,

My favorite thing about you is that you care for me so much. You’re the best Mom ever! I love you!

Happy Mother’s Day!

Brady, age 9

Dear Mommy,

My favorite thing about you is that you spend time with me and take me to get our nails painted.

I love you Mommy!

Kasey, age 6

Mom,

I love you soooooooooooooooooo much!

I am sooooooooo happy you are my mom!

You are the best mom ever because you take me to my soccer practice, soccer games, you help me with homework, you take me to dance, you take me to Girl Scouts, you take me to piano, you take me to volleyball, you take me to cotillion, you take me to tennis, CCD — everything I do.

You are sooo generous, loving, happy, pretty, funny and best of all — you are my MOM!!!!!!!!

Callie Govaars, age 10

Happy Mother’s Day to the dishwasher, bug killer, nurse, cook, chauffeur, good listener, and one and only superwoman... not to mention best mom ever!!!

Love your crazy kids,

Allison and Dana

I love my mom because: she lets me have three dogs, she’s a professional ice skater, and she rocks at cooking, cleaning, and taking care of the dogs. She’s very smart, loving, and fast at making dinner. My mom lets me cut mushrooms and sometimes lets me make an omelet with bacon and cheese. She’s also there if I need help with my homework. She goes to church with me every time I do. She goes on my Girl Scout trips, plays tennis, takes me to the pet store to see the puppies, she rides on the Super Mable tube with me at the lake, and throws great parties for me. She also goes horseback riding with me in Hawaii. Last but not least, she gives me lots of hugs and kisses. I love my mom!

Rebecca Szulga

Dear Grandma,

As much as you love us grandkids (as you very well should, because we kind of are the coolest) we would like to tell you how much we love and appreciate everything You do for Us. Happy Mother’s Day!!

Love Always,

Andrea, Christian, Kaila, Erica and Reagan

Dear Mom,

I love you so much! I love you more than all the grains of sand on the earth. You’re there in the good times and the bad times but you’re so supportive there’s mostly good times.

I love you so much.

Love,

Christian

We’re thinking about you and want you to know how much you mean to us and to let you know that you’ve made such a wonderful difference in our lives. We love you. You’re the Best Mom. Mwah! Happy Mother’s Day

Kyle, Shannon & Kirsten

Top Ten Reasons We Love our Mom Nikki:

10. She takes care of us

9. She is Helpful

8. She is Giving

7. She is Loving

6. She makes us Laugh

5. Lots of Hugs and Kisses

4. She Drives us places

3. She comes to our Soccer Games

2. She takes us on Trips

1. She is the best Mom EVER.

Happy Mother’s Day,

Love,

Caroline, 9, Paige, 7, and Matthew, 3 1/2

To our Mother, Mimi TT, BB, Hyla,

We want you to know how much we all appreciate you everyday, but most especially on a day you can call “yours.” We love you!

Xoxo,

Alex, Baret, Blake, Bay, Bolan, Isley, Breezy, Cardo, Gingy, Leigh

I asked my two young sons what their favorite things about their mom (Lynn Eckweiler) and their responses are:

Owen Eckweiler (age 5): “I love that my mom takes me to the Interpretive Center [Newport Beach Back Bay]” and “I love that my mom feeds me healthy foods!”

August Eckweiler (age 2): “My favorite thing is that my mommy takes me to the park and sometimes gives me chocolate!”

Shaun: “Happy Mother’s Day to the best wife ever! You are an amazing and incredible mother!

— Shaun Hannah

Dear Mom (aka Crazy Grandma),

You are the most beautiful person inside and out. We could not have asked for a better mom growing up, nor could we ask for a better Crazy Grandma for our own kids now that we’re grown. Your thoughtfulness and caring ways will carry on for generations to come. We love you and hope you have a great Mother’s Day! You deserve it!

Love,

Cari (and Drue, Cade, and Briggs)

XOXOXOXOXO

I love my Momma because she loves me.

I love my Momma because she teaches me how to read.

I love my Momma because she keeps me clean.

I love my Momma because she likes to play.

I love my Momma because she gives me kisses.

I love you Momma, Happy Momma’s Day.

Love,

Hudson Parks.

I am grateful to God everyday for my mother, Tallie Parrish. She is hands down, the “best woman” I have ever known. When I tell her how much I appreciate, love and admire her, she thanks me then calmly replies that it’s because she had a very good mother, graciously giving credit to the “coolest woman” I have ever known, my late grandmother, Leslie Bell. Although my wonderful mother has a very long list of impressive qualities, the ones that really endure are that she loves, listens, encourages, and cares.

Happy Mother’s Day Mom! You are amazing! I love you!

Leslie Parrish Fuchs

I sit and listen intensely as my mother recalls the story of how my father had to make a quick stop outside the Arches on the way to Hoag Hospital to make an important business phone call while her belly was erupting with me inside. Meanwhile, I was kicking and screaming waiting to embark on my journey into the world outside. Yes, it’s true, my mom recalls, you were almost born in Newport Harbor, literally in the water. Yes, upon this day of remembering how special our moms are to us, our families, our communities and the world at large, I must say my mom is indeed the very best. My mom equipped me with the tools, patience, perseverance and practical wisdom any son could hope and pray for. Mom, thank you for making it to Hoag on that special summer day and thank you to all the special moms out there on this day; your extra special day. Happy Mother’s Day.

Finn Bell

Dear Mommy,

Thank you for being the very best mommy in the entire world. You take really good care of me and give me so much love.

Happy Mother’s Day

Love,

Brooklyn Racunas, Age 4

Dear Mom,

Hugs and kisses to you on your special day!!!

Thank you for being the best mom,

Love you,

Evelvyn & Joe

Mom,

We love your awesome tacos and special homemade pizza. You help us at school and our friends think you’re great.

We don’t always pick up our rooms, but you never get mad, you take care of us, you give us love and you support us every day.

You’re the best mom ever.

Max & Nick Meisenheimer

Mom,

If only there were enough words to tell you how much we love you and what an amazing mom you are to the three of us. You are always willing to go to the end and back and put your heart and soul into everything you do for us. The three of us would not be the happy people we are today without the love and encouragement you and dad give us. Thank you and dad for making us such a wonderful family, so full of love.

We are so lucky to have you as our mom! Many hugs and kisses for a Mother’s Day in your honor!

Much love,

Lindsey, Emily, and Brooks Westervelt (and Bear and Oscar, too!!)

Dear Mom,

We love you so much and we really hope this will be the best Mother’s Day ever! We all appreciate all that you do and the sacrifices you make for us. We love you!

Bjorn (11), Niki (8) and Niels (3) Hoffmann

Dear Mom, there are no words adequate to describe how thankful I am that you were there for me during the long and stressful time leading up to my surgery. The endless days, weeks, months of uncertainty not knowing if an organ would come available, you never gave up hope; even though I did.

I look forward to taking care of you in the years to come now that the successful surgery is complete. You are the best, and I love you more than you’ll ever know.

Happy Mother’s Day!!!

JR

My mother is amazing. She is the most supportive, kind, giving, caring, loving person I know. She has successfully raised her three children and is watching her seven grandchildren grow into individuals with the same qualities she possesses. If anyone deserves a great Mother’s Day ... it is my Mother! Happy Mother’s Day, Mom (aka: Mimi).

— Kim Sperr

I love my mom a lot and I love her forever. My mom is the best in the whole wide world.

Allison, age 9

My mother means everything to me in every way. If I didn’t have the mom I have today I would be a totally different person. I think that no one could have a better mom than I have. I have the best mom because she loves me, she taught me how to love reading and help me to be smart in school.

To my mother and best friend,

Natalie.

Happy Mother’s Day, Mama!! Our Mom is Joan Borquez and we wanted to let her know why we think she is so special. She is constantly giving us all kinds of things including:

1. All of her time. She always puts our needs before her own. She is so dedicated to helping out at our school whether it is helping with math or working with the Battle of the Books program. Going to a Dodger game, playing catch, board games and even the Wii are all activities we love to do with her.

2. Direction on being good citizens. She has taught us many lessons about how it is important to be a good teammate, classmate and brother. We know how important it is to respect others and give of ourselves.

3. Lots of stories of her childhood. She tells us about how she handled certain situations when she was our age and it helps us a lot at school.

4. An endless supply of love and dedication. She is very focused on raising us to be loving, responsible and caring young men. Since we are far from perfect, this can sometimes be a challenge but Mama does such an awesome job with us. She seems to know when to be serious and when to be silly.

Mama, we just wanted to let you know that we love you very, very much and appreciate everything you do for us! You are the best!

Love,

Nicholas (11) and Ryan (7) Borquez

To the Best Nonna in the world,

Thank you for all the yummy meals, taking us to school every day, letting us tear your house apart and especially for all the loves and hugs!

We love you!

Love,

Mitchell, Patrick, James and Jake