Thank you Mom

In my last blog I wrote about how amazing my daughter Taylor was.  I briefly touched on the fact that after I had her I moved back in with my mom.  I may have even mentioned how my mom was alot of help during that time.  Now I want to write about how wonderful my mom has been for my whole life.

My mom did not have what most people would call a normal childhood.  Growing up, she lived with her mom and 3 brothers. (1 older and 2 younger)  My grandmother worked alot so my mom took over alot of the household duties. Because of this, she grew up alot faster than she should have.  She knew how to run a house at a very early age.  She met my dad and married very young.  4 years later, she had me.  She tells me stories about how she and I would just sit and play all day. She would spend 30 minutes every morning making sure the house was clean and she would make sure the rest of the day was dedicated to me.  My dad would go to work in the morning and her best friend Karen would take me and her son Joshua to kmart just to get an icey.  From what I understand, that happened a few times a week.  I dont have any memories of that, but when she talks about it her eyes light up. She loves telling those types of stories, partly because they are memories of me, and partly because she gets to relive her memories with her best friend Karen (the greatest woman she has ever met, she says).  She misses her so much, since she passed.

Growing up my mom worked hard to make a living for us.  When my parents divorced, she had to get a job outside of the home.  She had kept kids for many years in our home so that she could stay home with us. She made just enough money to pay the bills and make sure my sister and I ate.  I remember many times when she would cook 2 porkchops and vegetables. My sister and I would get the porkchops and she would just eat the veggies, so that we would have something nice.  We ate beans, cornbread and potatoes alot. It was cheap.  Its funny because growing up, I hated that meal because we had it so much. Now, I love it. 

There was one time when I wanted to go to the circus with my friend. She counted up all of her change just to buy me a ticket.  I did not realize at that time, how hard that must have been for her.  I did not realize that that money could have paid a bill, got her gas money, or even got her a porkchop to eat. 

She woke my sister and I up one time at about 1am and told us to get dressed, we were going to the waffle house.  My sister and I got to order whatever we wanted.  My mom did not eat. She smiled the whole time, she was happy that we got that special treat.  I'm sure if you ask her one of her most memorable moments of us growing up she will tell you 2 stories. 1) my sister and I made her a homeade cake.  We went in the kitchen and used whatever ingredients we could find. Everything from cocoa to hot sauce.  I'm sure that she had a serious upset stomach afterwards, but she ate every bite of her piece with a smile. She said she loved it.  2) My sister and I bought her a minature live christmas tree for her christmas present. We bought it about a month before christmas. We wrapped it and put it in my closet.  Well, it was dead by the time she opened it. She proudly displayed that tree for awile. She was proud of it.  Still to this day on her christmas tree that she puts up every year, there are homeade ornaments that my sister and I made when we were young. Along with one that our children have made. 

When I had Taylor and moved back in with her, she quit her job and started an in home daycare so that Tay didnt have to go to daycare while I worked. I took that for granted then, I am thankful now.  Not many people would have taken an 18 year old and a newborn back into their home.  She would still rather go without so that she could give her grandchildren everything they want.  Sometimes she goes overboard, but thats another blog...

I am so thankful that God choose her to raise me. There is not a stronger woman ever born. I wish there was a way that I could thank her for everything she has done for me. Without her, I would be lost. She has taught me how to be the mother I am, the wife I am and the woman I am. She has no idea how much I admire her, how much I love her.  I owe her everything.. I am grateful to know her. Her love is unconditional.

She is my kids Mimi.  But most importantly, SHE IS MY MOM!