The Meaning of "Mama"

This is my favorite Christmas ornament. 

It was made by one of the special olympic athletes at the school where I work.  They were selling them to fund their field trips to and from the games.  The boy that made this was very insistant that I get one of his snowmen that he made. He saved this one for me inparticular. It's made of cinnamon dough and smells amazing.

I met this boy last year when he transferred from another school.  He was very shy. I would walk with him into the cafeteria and sit with him while he ate his lunch.  Whenever I saw him in the hall, I always asked how he was doing. He can throw a football farther and more perfectly than anyone I've ever seen, and he has the voice of an angel.

This year, he started calling me "Mama" I figured because I was pregnant.  Finally one day I asked him why he called me that. His answer made me cry.

"Any woman who loves you and takes care of you is your Mama."

I watched him perform with the Men's Choir tonight at their Christmas concert.  Afterwards, he came up to me and asked "Mama, did you hear me?"  I did. And it was the most beautiful sound in the world.