Being that it's Mother's Day, I'll start with my mom (of course!) and all the amazingness that she is. The amount of patience this woman has is unfathomable considering all she's put up with between me and my sister over the years. She's been the foundation that I've built my life upon and when I look at where I am in life, I know I wouldn't be where I am or who I am without her. She taught me so much over the years: the importance of God in my life and always coming back to Him; how to properly plant a garden that actually looks good and lasts the summer; that sometimes you shouldn't try to dig up big bushes in the backyard if there's a chance a stick might stab you in the eye; how to cook a delicious meal using family recipes passed down through generations; that overdrawing your bank account not only causes financial problems but that it makes your mom REALLY mad; that even though she's REALLY mad forgiveness is still a part of loving someone; and that being a genuine, loving, compassionate person is more important that having every material item in the world. She's my best friend who has been there for me when I've been overcome by sadness or needed to share something exciting in my life, she's been a role model for holding a marriage together, grounding yourself in God's love and truths, and having a heart for service to others. I attribute my character, sense of humor, frizzy hair, and love of academics all to her, and I am so thankful to have her as my Momma.
Who taught my mom all this amazingness that she could pass on to me and my sister? Why, her mother, of course. My Grammy was an amazing woman, a true saint in her own right. To this day, she is one of the strongest Christian women I have ever known, and was the true matriarch of our family. She made birthday cakes for Jesus every Christmas, and kept oatmeal cookies on the kitchen counter at all times. She could make you feel like the most important person in the world with her love and kind words, but wasn't afraid to put you in your place if you got out of line (and trust me, that wasn't something you wanted to hear from her!). She spent her Sunday's watching NASCAR and TBN church services with her shotgun by her side, ready to take out any groundhog trying to dig holes in her yard. She was the woman I called when I was home sick from school just to hear her tell me to drink water and eat crackers in my jammies till I felt better, the woman I ate pie and drank coffee with on Saturday afternoons when I had breaks and was home from college. She yelled at me for getting a tattoo, then told me how cute the black ink butterfly on my shoulder actually was. There isn't a day that goes by, even seven years later, that I don't think about her or see her influence somewhere in my life. I know she's up in Heaven fussing over whether or not the angels have planted the spring flowers in the right spots of God's garden :)
I've been fortunate enough to have a few "adopted moms" growing up, too. Joni and Kim, mothers to my best friends since we were just babies, have been there for me for the past 27 years. From help planning secret parties for my parents, advice on everything from school to boys, even just keeping me in line when my own mom wasn't there and I felt like I could probably get away with something (so optimistic on my part, and yet so wrong haha!). They both saw me as their own child, and made sure that if I needed something they would try their best to take care of me. I'm beyond thankful for their influence, love, and guidance growing up and for seeing me as their own daughter.
I can't help but look at today with some optimism and butterflies in my tummy that maybe just maybe this will be my last mother's day without being a mommy. One thing I know for sure is that I have had a lot of "lessons" over the years of what a good mother/mother figure should be thanks to my incredible mom and all the other amazing mother figures in my life. If I can be even half the mother that these woman have added up to be, I know my child will be blessed beyond belief and will (hopefully) grow up with good character, strong faith, and a compassion for helping others.
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| My momma and me through the years! |
Happy Mother's Day to all my friends who are mommies, mommies-to-be, have been an "adopted" mommy to another child, a role model, a teacher, or who have had any kind of positive influence on a child around them. You have no idea how loved you truly are!
-M
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