A Tribute to Mother’s – My Mom!

I’m going to start this week on to the Mom that I know the most about….mine! Her name is Cindy and she is amazing! She is, of course, the person I want to call when something good happens, I have a question, or when I’m sick. She has always been there for me and has shown me how to sacrificially love day in and day out for the past 31 years. Without her help, support, encouragement, and advice, this motherhood thing would be way too much for me and I know that I would be failing miserably at it. So today I want to share some fun memories about my Mom and why I love her so much.

You know those birth stories that you hear and you just cringe thinking about the Mom having to go through that. My Mom had one of those with me. Not only was I over three weeks late, but she was in labor for almost two days and signed the papers twice for a c-section without receiving one before I made my appearance. They said I was fixing my hair. To say she gave a lot for me from the beginning is an understatement.

My Mom was one of those who did everything. Hand smocked beautiful dresses for me to wear? Check. Made me a genie costume one year for Halloween? Check. Went and bought us a dog without my Dad’s approval? Check. She was PTA President, came in to our classes to supplement math and science teaching, fundraised, planned and literally dug a fish pond and a garden in my elementary school courtyard, went on field trips, made my lunch every day until I graduated from high school, was the general contractor when we were building our house in Decatur. You name it, she did it. Those things that no one wants to do (like be a sponsor/chaperone for long choral trips, high school sororities, and more)…she did. Cart us around to numerous practices, rehearsals, youth groups, and more. And throughout it all, she was fun and made time to hang out with us and teach us the important things. You can’t ask for better than that.

It might seem strange to have a picture of her and my Dad in a Mother’s Day tribute post, but I think one of the best things she did as a mother was to show my brother and I that my Dad came first. She made her marriage a top priority and that’s something that I especially treasure now that I’m married. They say that the best thing a Dad can do for his child is to love their Mom but it can also go the other way. She showed me what it means to be a helper to a husband who works hard to provide, to support him at work and at home, to express opinion but still respect him, and to love him well.

As you grow older your relationship with your Mom changes and mine was no different. When college started I’m pretty certain that it was a hard adjustment for my Mom. She says that that’s when they started eating in front of the tv because dinner was all of a sudden a quiet affair. But never once did she make me feel bad for branching out and living my life. She was there to cheer me on anytime something happened and made multiple trips to Tuscaloosa to do things like pick me up from my lab to drive me across campus so that I wouldn’t be late for Serious Night during rush, sneak in to town to surprise me when I got inducted into The XXXI, and moved me in and out of residences every year without complaint. We became friends during those years and I’m so thankful for the way that she made that transition so easy for me in a time that can sometimes be fraught with landmines.

And these days she’s still there for me in any way she can be. It helps that we only live half a mile from each other, but she gives advice when the kids are sick, babysits whenever asked, lends me clothes that I then forget to give back (I’m bringing those leather jackets back…I promise!), and generally helps me keep this crazy life of mine together. I am so thankful for the way she loves my husband and kids and how much they love her as well. You’re the best Mom. Happy Mother’s Day!