If you’ve ever enjoyed anything I’ve ever written on any of
the blogs I’ve ever had, there’s a woman you should thank for that, and it’s
not me. My mother has always been one of the biggest and best influences in my
life. She is one of the most beautiful people I know. I have no idea where I
would be without her growing up.
Knowing my sweet, selfless momma, she is reading this and saying (probably out loud), “What about Dad?! He did an awful lot!” There is no question this is true. My dad is the best. He has countless children besides my brother and me since he’s been in education for 40 years. If you’re one of his students (current or former), there’s no doubt you know exactly what I’m talking about.
However, before I get too into talking about how great my
dad is, if you notice the date of this post, Father’s Day is next month.
I remember when I was a little one, I wanted to be just like
my mom – in a lot of ways, I still do. When I was still a toddler, it even
affected the way I played with my dolls – showering them with love as I would
give them pretend baths, put them in my doll-size stroller and “run to the
store,” rock them to sleep, or walk around the house with dolly on my hip. All
were large influences of the wonderful mom I have grown up with.
I remember watching her get ready for dates with my dad – watching her pick out pretty outfits, put on makeup, accessorize, and end with a spritz of perfume that pulled everything together. I always thought she had it all pulled together.
Mom - no arguing. You’re still the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen – inside and out.
As I got older, when a lot of my peers were convinced their moms were out to ruin their lives and they would slowly push them away, I was sitting up at the kitchen table each night having long talks with my mom about school, boys, relationships, babysitting (which at the time was my job), and what it all eventually led to that I could look forward to in my future: marriage and children. It wasn’t something that was shoved down my throat. It was just something I was constantly thinking about and something my mom was happy to indulge me in.
I admired the way she loved her children so much, but made
it clear that her marriage came first. The phrase, “Wait until your father gets
home,” didn’t fly in my house. Instead, it was, “Pull it together before your
father gets home.” This wasn’t a way of making me swallow something that was
bothering me, but she created a peaceful, stress-free haven for my dad to come
home to every night. I could always talk to both of them about anything, but
attacking my dad with problems (or being in a bad mood) when he got home from
work was a big no-no.
When I got into my middle school years, people would confuse me with my mom on the phone. I always secretly loved it. I have my dad’s blue eyes and blonde hair (which I love), but whenever someone tells me I look like my mom, I always take it as a huge compliment. She really is the greatest.
Mom has always been good at being happy. Regardless of who
or what the circumstance is around her, she’s always so bubbly and wonderful.
In fact, growing up, I never realized how this affected the overall tone of the
house until I made her mad and it made me feel so bad, it felt like the world
was going to end. She hates it when I talk about that, but let me say that the
number of times that happened can probably be counted on one hand.
In college, coming home and talking to her about things that were bothering me always gave me a boost. She would remind me to be grateful and how important it was for me to keep being myself. I always remember returning to school a lot better than when I had gone home. When I returned, I always felt fantastic being myself. I was always happier, my clothes fit better, I felt more ready to take on new challenges, and I just felt more like I was in my right place. As a result, my friendships would get stronger, my grades would get better, and life just felt more beautiful.
Both of my parents provided me with a strong home foundation that made it so that I could be confident in new adventures. I had absolutely no desire to stay in my home state for college. This was not to get away from them, but I was just ready to spread my wings and really try something new. I always knew if I fell flat on my face, I had a home base to talk to or come back to if it were really bad.
Mom taught me to rely on God for everything. I was a baby
when I started going to church and I was only three when I started going to
Sunday School. When things would go wrong, Mom (really Mom and Dad) would help
me fix them, but I was always encouraged to go to God with it first. Mom would
talk to me about my true identity as God’s child and how I was never out of His
care. And when things didn’t work out the way I wanted, she would always tell
me not to worry, everything was okay because God doesn’t make us downgrade. It
just means there is something better. She was always right.
Often, when I talk to friends about conversations I’ve had
with my mom, we always end up agreeing that moms really are the greatest people
in the whole world. Of course to me, mine is the best, but I would never dare
argue with anyone else saying his or her mom is the best, because…well,
everyone should be able to feel that way.
Now that I’m married and starting my own life, I’m so
grateful to have grown up with such a wonderful role model. She’s not only been
a role model, but a best friend through all these years. I still love talking
to her about anything and everything and how that’s morphed into more of a best
friend than a mother/child relationship. I love you, Momma!
To every mother, you are so essential to the world. May everyone celebrate every mother (or mom-figure) in your life this weekend. Happy Mothers Day!
