I had never been around babies in my entire life, and I didn't know what to do with him. The nurses would bring him to me at 5 A.M., 9 A.M., 1 P.M., 5 P.M., and 9 P.M. and leave him with me for an hour each time for me to feed him and cuddle him. I prayed the entire hour that he wouldn't cry! I felt that if he cried, that would reflect on me and everyone would think that I was a bad mother. I was so relieved when they came at the end of the hour to take him back to the nursery, especially if we had made it through the hour without either him or me crying!

I learned, though, and by the time that we adopted our daughter six years later, I had become adept at being a mother and loved it. While Rhett and I had muddled through and learned together, Skye was a breeze. Rhett had definitely taught me a lot!

Both of our children started out calling me "Mommy." Rhett, bless his heart, couldn't get "Mommy" out very clearly and it usually sounded more like "Mammy." As they got older, they dropped the "Mommy" for something that they considered not quite as babyish. Rhett began to call me "Mother," while Skye changed to "Mom" and later on to "Mother."

It didn't matter to me whether they called me "Mommy," "Mammy," "Mom," or "Mother," just as long as they didn't call me by my first name! I am not one of those modern parents who thinks it's fine if they and their children are on a first name basis. This old girl believes that she has earned that maternal title and takes great satisfaction in being called by it. To me, no word is sweeter nor is any title as sweet as "Mother" or one of its variations.

That reminds me of a precious story that Jerry Scurlock gave a copy of to Tammy Marlow and Tammy gave it to me. I would like to share it with you now, and it is as follows:

"Your Angel"

A baby asked God, "They tell me you are sending me to Earth tomorrow, but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless?"

"Your angel will be waiting for you and will take care of you."

The child further stated, "But here in Heaven I don't have to do anything but sing and smile to be happy."

God said, "Your angel will sing for you and will also smile for you. And you will feel your angel's love and be very happy."

Again the child asked, "And how am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me if I don't know the language?"

God said, "Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweet words you will ever hear, and with much patience and care, your angel will teach you how to speak."

"And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?"

God said, "Your angel will place your hands together and will teach you how to pray."

"Who will protect me?"

God said, "Your angel will defend you even if it means risking its own life."

"But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore."

God said, "Your angel will always talk to you about Me and will teach you the way to come back to Me, even though I will always be next to you."

At that moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices from Earth could be heard and the child hurriedly asked, "God, if I am to leave now, please tell me my angel's name."

"You will simply call her "Mom."