For all Mothers and Fathers

As we approach Mother's Day 2013, I wanted to add a little levity into my sometimes serious job of visiting graveyards.  

For all the Mother's and Father's that we have logged over the years, and commit to computer eternity, consider the following.

Mom's and Dad's deserve a special day in May (May 12, 2013) and in June (June 16, 2013) for putting up with us during our obnoxious teen years.  Anna Jarvis established Mother's Day at a 1908 church service in Grafton, West Virginia.  Two years later, in Spokane, Washington, Sonora Smart Dodd gave father's their holiday in a ceremony at a local YMCA.

Of interest is that Anna Jarvis, in 1948,  was so horrified at the over commercialization of Mother's Day (cards, flowers, gifts, etc.) that she was arrested for disturbing the peace at a New York City Mother's Day celebration.

• In the United States, 46% of males are fathers.
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• Around the world there are approx. 216,000 babies born every day.  In the United States there are approx. 11,000 born daily.  That's a lot of mothers!
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• In the United States, the average age of a first-time mother is 25 years.
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• In the United States in 2008 there were 6,268 triplet and higher-order multiple births.
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• In the United States, the average number of births on any given Tuesday, which is the most common day for births) was 13,415.
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• The amount of daily deaths around the world is approx. 153,400 so it sort of balances out.

According to the Insure.com survey in 2012, Mom's are losing their value (sort of).  A mother's value in 2013 was $59,862, down from $60,182 in 2012 and $61,436 in 2011.  But to most of us, our mothers are invaluable, and they are impossible to put a price on.  And that's how it should be!

According to mother's everywhere, the jobs that they like the least are yard work, cleaning and doing the family finances.  And what do they enjoy the most?  Taking care of their children, shopping for the family and cooking.


So to all Mother's and Father's, as well as all those who want to be mothers and fathers, have a beautiful day!

My Mother, Norma Ralf (2012)