The Best Mom

"You're the best, Mom!"

I love it when Christa tells me that. Usually it doesn't take much to get a verbal pat on the back from my caboose kiddo.

I received my most recent "Best Mom" praise because I took Christa and a friend to see a movie. (We went to see The Game Plan, a harmless, family-friendly, positive movie. Why it was rated PG, I dunno. Maybe the producers figured no one would go see a G movie these days. Sorry. I'm rambling.)

Christa rates me the best when I drive through Sonic and buy her a grape cream slush. Or when I rub her feet "real soft so it tickles." Or when I buy her pretzel nuggets at the mall. Or when I let her friends come over and have popsicles.

See? It doesn't take much and it doesn't always take money.

I'm a mom and I like doing things for my children--even the ones that no longer live at home. I do it whether I get any verbal praise or not. I'm a mom. It's what I do.

Okay, now let me throw a little monkey wrench into this blog.

Woman Gives Birth to Own Grandchildren

The news article is about a 51-year-old Italian woman, Rosinete Serrao, who served as a surrogate mother for her daughter, who is unable to have children. On September 30, 2007, Serrao gave birth to twin boys, who also happen to be her own grandchildren. Four embryos that had been fertilized by Serrao's daughter and her daughter's husband had been implanted in Serrao's uterus in January 2007.

So, you tell me: does this woman deserve a "Best Mom" award for helping her daughter have children? Or did she cross some sort of unseen ethical/moral line? Is there something wrong with this scenario or is it a beautiful picture of a mother's love?