Today I give thanks for my mother. It's her birthday, a chance to celebrate her and all that she has done and all that she means to me, and to my kids. My mother is the glue that holds this family together. She managed to keep us from falling apart through 7 different states in my first 22 years of life, each one not only a new geography, but a new culture, a new climate to navigate. She found me the activities I wanted and drove me, or arranged rides for me. She helped us craft a new life in each of these places, each simple dwelling became a home. One that she maintained while still working and managing the clutter and chaos that my father and I produce.
My mother is patient, she is kind, she is generous and loving and supportive. She is a wonderful Nonna to her grandkids. They know her to show up with a tin of cookies, a pot of soup, a bag of groceries, bagels and cream cheese, or to just do the yardwork I never have time to do. This August she devoted the entire month to refinishing my walls in our playroom/desk area since she knew it was what I wanted and would not easily have time to complete on my own. My mother is an excellent cook and I have such fond memories of her cooking and then us cooking together. Today my father and I were able to provide her with a meal of her choosing.
My mother is the type of mother that I want to be, yet I am not. I can only be me, and hope that one day my children will feel the same way I do about her in regards to me. I do my best, and while I often fall short in my eyes, I know I have done my best in the moment. My mother (and father) taught me to give my best to everything, to work hard, study hard, and put in the work to chase down those dreams. From my mother I learned how to support someone else chasing a dream and a goal. From her I learned to sew, cook, read passionately, and pray.
Everyday I am thankful and blessed to have my mother. Today I am thankful we had another year together and many more coming.
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