My Mom

I have for a loooong time now been wanting to tell you a little bit about my mom and why she is so awesome. And so first I give you-- The Top 10 Reasons Why My Mom Rocks:

1. She is a strong person who stands by her beliefs.

2. She comes to my house at 6:30 in the morning to help me get the boys out the door on time because she knows I suck at life in the morning & wants to help.

3. She taught me so many little everyday things that are SO important in life. Example: Always give a firm handshake. I rolled my eyes at the time but I think of her advice even today, especially in professional situations.

4. She has been overwhelmingly helpful to us during our financial nightmares and never makes me feel guilty or shameful about it. I gotta give my dad credit on this one too. They are both so generous and I am not talking about money- although they have been there in that respect, too.

5. She is absolutely in love with my boys- of course, she is "Grammy" so she is biased but she is at my house pretty much every day. I think she makes up reasons to stop by because she just loves to see them. My dad gets lots of credit here too-- "Poppy" loves to spend time with his buddies. My parents are at my house ALOT. Some people might find it intrusive...and yet, it all works out. Mike never complains- in fact, he welcomes it. Their presence is a blessing to our family. Michael and Liam have a real relationship with them and I hope it continues to be that way.

6. She brings our family together. My parents do not have a big house at this point in their lives but whenever we get together, there is always somehow enough room for everyone. And everyone always feels welcomed.

7. She supports me as a parent. This was a big turning point in our relationship. There was a definite point where I knew for certain that my mom regarded me as an adult and I really appreciate that. I can tell that she respects me at that level and while she is always there if I need advice, she doesn't push it on me.

8. She is alot of fun. I love spending time with her. It's nice if the kids are sleeping and we can sit around and just shoot the bull.

9. She tolerates my annoying personality traits and doesn't give me crap about them- unless it is truly deserved of course.

10. She taught me to think for myself, to be kind and to go that extra mile for family and friends. She taught me too many things to name.

No words can really capture what my mom means to me. This list hits the highlights. How can I put into words how much comfort my mom could bring to me when I was sick...how she always conveyed her love to me...how she has always been there for me, even when she disagreed. There are no words that can truly reflect the depth of a mother's love.

Since I have become a mother, I understand her now in a way that I didn't before. Some of the decisions she and my dad made make sense. Maybe some things I felt bitter about- well, I see there was no reason for bitterness on my part. Don't get me wrong, we never had a big rift between us. But becoming a mother opens up your perspective and I think that is when you truly understand the term "unconditional love". I pray that I can show my children how much I love them and that they know I will always stand by them, no matter what.