My Mom

This is my absolute favorite picture-and one of very few-of my mommy and I.

This year, I celebrated Mother's Day more as a daughter than a mother. It was my mom's first Mother's Day without her mom. My sisters and I thought it may be particularly tough on mom without grandma so we decided to keep her busy and celebrate with her. Well it worked for the most part but also postponed the inevitable tears-which came later on in the week. We all went out for a nice leisurely lunch together and then to pick out a movie off our "AFI's Top 100" list at the video store. We finally found one on the list that they actually carried in our little town and it was Goodfellas, in VHS format nonetheless...it went for the rental price of $1.05 for 3 days! Unreal! Anyways, back to my house to watch it on the big screen. It was actually a really good (violent) movie. And based on a true story, which always makes it "all the better" in my book.

After our movie date we went to Saturday night Mass-which was actually in memory of grandma. It was a peaceful Mass-but I found myself tearing up once in awhile just thinking about motherhood, grandma, and my mom. I find myself crying a lot more lately-very easily. It may be hormones or a hectic, sometimes stressful life, but all the same-crying more. I think it's healthy to have a good cry every now and then...

Sunday-my mom came to "my church" service and helped Bear out with the boys when I went up to sing in the choir. Barrett and Parker had made me breakfast that morning-and chimed together "Happy Mother's Day" all day long. It was a relaxing and fun and emotional weekend.

My mom and I have grown together over the last 28 years. I have never met a stronger woman in my life. She has experienced more "hardships" in her lifetime than most of us ever will and has always come out on top-with dignity and poise.

I am the baby of four girls and at the same time an only child. My sisters are 12, 10 and 6 years older than me-so when they graduated from high school and went on to college and get married, it was just me and my mom. My sisters will tell you I got everything I wanted-which I admit I was spoiled (in a way).

I can't say I wanted it any other way growing up-as in-having it be all four of us girls under one roof and really close in age. I have grown with my sisters in the later years of our lives and become best of friends with them. But I got all my high school years (7-12th grade) with just my mom. It was by far the best part of my childhood.

Over the years we have become best of friends-who can talk about anything together, we enjoy the same things, have the same values and beliefs. She continues to help me guide my babies into boys and young men, she spends quality time with all of us. She loves my husband as her own son, she helps shape me into a better mom and wife,

...she would do anything for us.

I love you momma~