My Mom

Today I celebrate my mom. I celebrate my mom because I now have a better understanding of how difficult the job really is. I celebrate my mom because she spent the majority of my life doing this incredibly difficult task by herself. I celebrate my mom for being a completely devoted, willing to do what it takes kinda mom. I celebrate my mom because really the proof is in the pudding…look how great I turned out 🙂

I celebrate my mom for being a strong, successful business person. As the sole provider of our family, she opened a business and busted her butt to grow it to an unbelievable point. Thanks to her devotion to me and business aptitude (without a formal business education) she put me through college, allowed me to want for nothing and gave me a magnificent wedding. She built this remarkable business empire while making me her number one priority in a way that most working moms cannot grasp. I celebrate my mom for selling her business in time for me to raise my children side by side with her.

I celebrate my mom for being the kind of grandma she is. She is not afraid to get her hands dirty – play dough, t-ball, baby dolls are no challenge for her. She can put aside the dirty dishes for a “shopping trip” around the dining room table, attend every soccer game rain or shine, and wiggle with the best of them despite not being actual “terrific two” participant. And as much as I criticize her inability to say no to my kids, she also does not say no to me (hence babysitting as many times as I need, dashing to the store for that Batman sweatshirt Drew can’t live without, or running my kids to all their many activities to say the least…)

I celebrate my mom for being my best friend. My mom was never one of those “not my kid” kinda moms. At times it aggravated me every time I complained to her and she just refocused me on how I could better manage the situation. Then my senior year of high school I felt wronged by a teacher and my mom marched up to school to help me fight my fight. It was the first time, and certainly not the last, that I actually realized that there was no one more in my corner than she.

I celebrate my mom for her character. She has mastered the ability to make her disappointment with me more painful than a death sentence. She raised me to not only believe in her values but think that I came up with them all on my own. She encouraged my independence and let me thrive, yet created a dependence to bounce each and every idea off her and share every detail of my life with her. She taught me to respect her, yet allowed me to get to her know (really know) her. And at the end of the day, I like spending time with her voluntarily!

I celebrate my mom because she’s the most incredible person I know. And by the way, it’s her birthday today. Happy Birthday Mom!