Karen Wils photo A photo from Mother’s Day 2007 with Grandma Lu Rose; my sister, Lori, a special godmother; little Ellen and me.

ESCANABA — All moms know the real meaning of Mother’s Day.

It has nothing to do with gifts, cards, flowers or fancy luncheons. Those things are nice but Mother’s Day is all about precious moments.

I do not mean the collectible figurines, called” Precious Moments;” I mean special time spent with a son or daughter.

There are lots of precious moments going through all the stages of a child’s development.

The first time your baby says “Mama,” the first steps, the first day of kindergarten and graduation are some of the big precious moments.

There are a lot of little wonderful moments, too.

The rocking chair in the corner captured some of the favorite moments. It seems like only yesterday when I could soothe all of my little ones needs by nursing them in the big rocking chair and singing a lullaby song.

Their hunger eased, they’d slowly drift off to sleep in my arms. There’s nothing like the contentment of that.

There’s that special moment when your child brings you a fist full of dandelions and smiles from ear to ear.

School programs, concerts and plays can bring a tear of joy to a mom’s eye when a son or daughter is up on stage.

And there is always that awesome feeling when you check on them after they said their prayers and they are all safely asleep in their beds.

So many wonderful firsts are treasured memories for moms, like the first time they take off on a two-wheeled bike, first time they catch a fish, first time they make the honor roll or the first time they drive off in a car.

These are some of the precious moments that mothers hold forever in their hearts.

For me coming from a food-oriented family, having my family all together around the supper table is special time for me.

This past year has been a very challenging year as a mother. The COVID-19 pandemic made us all realize the importance of family. How hard it was to be a parent during social distancing and closed schools and colleges.

In the summer of 2020, I had to learn a new part of parenting called letting go. In August, my son left to live in a new town where he got a good job.

The next week, we drove downstate with my daughter for her first year of college.

Then days later, we drove to Rochester, Minn. for my stem-cell transplant. I would be away from my home, family and animals for over three weeks.

Then it was the cheerful voices of the kids on the phone that helped me get through those rough days. Going home in September to an “empty nest” was a huge readjustment.

The real meaning of Mother’s Day is getting to spend quality time with your children no matter what age they are.

Take time to make some precious moments at your house this Mother’s Day. Happy Mother’s Day to all.

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Karen (Rose) Wils is a lifelong north Escanaba resident. Her folksy columns appear weekly in Lifestyles.