30 Days of Thanks: November 15

Today, as I am on every November 15th, I am thankful for my mother. The incredible woman that birthed me and raised me to be the woman I am today. She is sweet and kind, so much more even tempered than I am, though just as opinionated. She is selfless and simply amazing. 

Two days a week my mother arrives to my house to make sure B makes it on the bus or drives her to band practice so I can get to work on time. She comes over often during the week to tend to the garden, the weeds, the yard, and so many other things. She slips in with a tin of cookies, or a tray of eggplant parmigiana, often times without us knowing until we see the sign. Two mornings a week I find a stack of matched socks from our never empty sock basket, and laundry folded that has been sitting waiting. It's not the tasks themselves that matter, it's the love that they represent. My mom is a mom, watching her daughter trying to find time for herself and raise a small brood of kids, and in doing these little things she relieves me of some of the pressure. Simple, pure love.

Tonight we celebrated a milestone birthday for her and we ate, laughed, told stories and celebrated the incredible woman that she is. I wish there was more that we could have done than the food, cake, balloons and flowers, for this woman is worthy of so much more, yet I know she left with a heart full of love and support. 

Happy Birthday Mom!

30 Days of Thanks: November 15, 2020

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.

30 Days of Thanks: Day 15, Happy Birthday Mom

As I sit every year on November 15th I am incredibly thankful for my mother. There are not enough words to describe how much she means to me and how much she does for my family. This woman has a quiet strength. You may not notice her behind my boisterous father, but she is the glue; the one who packed the boxes and the trucks and unpacked the boxes what seems like thirteen thousand times for each of my childhood moves.

She was the one who baked my birthday cakes, cookies and taught me to cook. She taught me to sew, to laugh and always told me to reach for more. She was the rock in our family when everything was upside-down from yet another move. She's there for my kids, to include putting them on the bus 4 mornings a week so I can get to work on time. She's there on days off and nights if I need/want to go out when I have my kiddos. Just a quick phone call and she'll be here.

Once when Ben was really sick she dropped everything and drove down 4 hours to stay with the kids so I could take him to the hospital. Or there was the time days after D was born that she crossed paths with Ben in the airport, coming to take care of me and 2 kids, while Ben flew home to be with his grieving family. I don't know a lot of other moms that do all the things that she has done for me and my family. I consider myself, and my kids, extremely blessed to have her in our lives.

Love you Mom.