And the verdict is in.

My mom met Jon ... for about 20 seconds. He happily greeted her and shook her hand and said goodbye after dropping me off at home. So I finally told my mom that I have a bf and Jon is it. Turns out, she's pleased and impressed by the simple gesture of a handshake. With one sentence that came out of his mouth and a simple gesture, she decided that she likes him and wants to know more.

So all it took was a handshake. Over lunch she ranted on and on about how much she liked the handshake/greeting. Quite simply, she just wants to be acknowledged and respected as the Mother authority and receive some common courtesy by male visitors. I think I get it now.