By MARY TOBIA

Tomorrow we will celebrate Mother's Day.History recalls the earliest Mother's Day as it relates back to Greek mythology.In more modern times Julia Ward Howe and Anna Jarvis are credited as the founders of Mother's Day in the United States. Howe, an activist and poet, suggested that in June we celebrate Mother's Day and dedicate it to peace.Jarvis is known as the mother of Mother's Day. She got her inspiration from her own mother who believed we must honor all mothers living or dead and pay tribute to the efforts they gave in giving their children life; from raising them and being their constant support and well-wishers. Jarvis' mother loved white carnations and she felt they symbolized a mother's pure love.In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a resolution that the second Sunday in May would be celebrated as Mother's Day. White carnations are still the flower of choice.I look back to celebrating Mother's Day with my mom. It was always about coloring the very best picture on construction paper and folding it into a card. Then very carefully printing "Happy Mother's Day - Love Mary."I remember one special year when I was in grade school and the teacher gave us each a new wooden cutting board shaped like a fish. We then had to wood burn our design into it. It took me hours just to get it right.It must have been a favorite for my mom because she had kept it over the years. I have the cutting board now and it brings back wonderful memories of my loving mom.My mom was not my birth mother, as I was adopted when I was 6 weeks old. I was truly blessed to have this loving, caring, and supportive woman to call my mom for over 60 years.Mother's Day was always a fun day here in the Tobia household. I celebrated my first one 45 years ago when our little girl was 10 months old. She was just starting to walk and talk. I received a card but pretty sure her name was signed by her daddy. As the years went on, three boys joined the family.It was a tradition that they would serve me breakfast in bed. I remember waiting and hearing them downstairs in the kitchen. The menu was simple; orange juice and toast on a tray. Coffee would come later as it was not a wise decision to try to balance a steaming hot cup of coffee on a small tray while walking up a flight of steps. I could hear them "discussing" who was going to butter the toast or who was going to pour the orange juice.On the tray would be a handmade card for me by each of them, and of course they would dispute about whose card I should open first as they all sat around me on the bed. Looking back, those were the best days of my life.Nothing could have prepared me for my first Mother's Day without one of my children by my side.Twenty years ago a car accident took the life of our third child when he was just 18. At the time, I thought the pain would be more than I could take.Our youngest child came to me one evening and said, "Mom, you know you still have us."I believe the grief healing started at that moment with just those few words.Today I get store bought cards, gifts, and flowers from my children on Mother's Day. Still very special as the handmade ones from years gone by. But the true gifts those three children have given me are my eight grandchildren, 19 years old down to the youngest, which is about to be born any day."Cherish your mothers. The ones who wiped your tears, who were at every ballgame or ballet recital. The ones who believed in you, even when nobody else did, even when maybe you didn't believe in yourself. Women wear many hats in their lives. Daughter, sister, student, breadwinner. But no matter where we are or what we're doing, one hat that moms never take off is the crown of motherhood."That was written by Ann Romney, wife of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, mother of five, grandmother of 23, breast cancer survivor and in remission with MS.