This Mother’s Day I want to give a shout out to my own Madre. She’s put up with me my entire life, although there are days I’m not sure why. And then she gave me a brother and two sisters to corrupt…I mean play with. What was she thinking??
Mom taught me to be myself. She always let me be involved in things I wanted to be involved with and let me find my way. Mom guided me but never forced me in a direction. She says she always knew I would become a teacher, but when I headed to college for graphic design she didn’t say a thing. She let me go down the art major path. She knew it was a path I needed to take, that I needed to find my own way. And the art path was the best thing for me. It made me a well-rounded elementary teacher.
Mom taught me how to be confidence and have self-worth. She taught me to hold my head high and stand up for what I believe in. I watched her struggle with CCD classes, parents of students, and the crazy things her children have done to her, but she’s always stayed in and fought.
Mom taught me that beauty is on the inside of a person and not on the outside. Now I personally believe my mom is a beautiful woman, but she’s not a super model. :) When her hair started turning gray, and she gained a few wrinkles, she didn’t grab the hair color or freak out, she embraced the change in her life and the “wise” look age gives you. Not only does she sport the wise looking gray hairs, but she is wise. Mom has never forgotten anything she’s ever heard, read, seen, experienced. You can look into her eyes and know that she’s just waiting to share some tidbit with you.
Her wiseness has kept me grounded. My mom is a great sounding board. She gives her words of wisdom and leaves me feeling like I have some guidance and thinking to do. Mom doesn’t remember “the good old days” she remembers things for what they were. She didn’t glorify being married, child birth, learning to breast feed, or raising children. She remembers the good and the bad and doesn’t sugar coat the bad. I learned from her that sometimes mommyhood just stinks and “this too shall pass”! And she’s thanking God he gave me kids just like me!
She’s always been MOM first and my friend second, and she wasn’t my friend until I was old enough to need a mom friend. But she still is my MOM. She will tell me like it is when she doesn’t agree or thinks I’ve made a poor choice. And countless times she’s brought me down to Earth.
Mom taught me how to cook and bake. Growing up we spent a lot of time in the kitchen together. She let me make a mess in the flour from the moment I could sit on the counter and help. Some of my favorite memories were made in the kitchen making little loaves of over kneaded raisin bread.
My mom taught me to be silly. From character voices to silly songs, Mom kept intrigued and our imaginations reeling. She also taught us how to document those imaginations using proper grammar and spelling. (Once and English teacher, always an English teacher)
Mom taught me about the important things in life. I tease her about unwaxed floors and stacks of papers, but my house is messier. She showed me that a spotless house is not as important as spending time with your family. It’s because of her that I don’t freak out when the floor under the table doesn’t get swept or the laundry sits in the basket or on the couch for over a week.
Speaking of important things, the most important thing my Mom (along with Dad) taught me was about faith and having God in my life. I’ve been grounded in my faith from day one (and by day one I mean conception). My parents brought me up in the church. They gave me the tools to explore my faith and helped me make it my own.
Thank you Mommy for being Dan, Martha, Meg, and my mom! Thank you for teaching me how to be a good mom! Thank you for being you and thank God for making you my mommy! Love you!
