My M-O-M

This is my mom! Isn't she cute!? She was chosen to be my mom long ago before she knew it. I can only imagine the heartache she felt 30 years ago when doctors told her she would never birth a child. She must have been devastated and so sad to lose that dream that almost every woman has. But then again, now looking at it 30 years later, it makes complete and perfect sense. It turned out exactly how it should be! We have the same birth marks in the same place (coincidence-- I think not). We maybe don't share one physical feature that would make you think we were mother and daughter, and we are like night and day when it comes to personalities, ideas of a good time, and cleaning abilities. But still there is a mother-daughter bond just as if I was birthed from her. I never felt like an adopted child growing up. I never felt as if I didn't belong in my family even though I didn't look like anyone else. I believe that had a lot to do with the love of my parents, but especially my mom. Her fair Polish skin next to my tan Hawaiian skin only made other people question and wonder, but never me, and I believe never her either.

It wasn't until I had my own children that I started to understand and appreciate all my mom did for me. The expenses, scheduling, shuttling, disciplining, worrying about, constant cleaning up after, sacrificing sleep, and never eating warm dinners. I had no idea as a child she was giving up herself all for me (us- brother). I am sure there were days that she didn't know what else to say or do to get me to clean my room, comb my hair, or stop fighting with my brother. I am sure there were days that she wanted to curl in a ball and cry herself to sleep because the task of raising children seemed too huge. I am sure she thought I wore crazy things, said radical words, and made some really stupid decisions (which I probably did). And I am sure she loves watching me go through all the same struggles, challenges, joys and successes as I am now on the motherhood journey.
Mom, you have one of the most gentle spirits I know. Everyone I know thinks you are the nicest woman. My extroverted loudness would really love a piece of your quiet contentedness. You have loved me through the really good and the really bad of my 29 years of life. You loved me like you birthed me and brought me home from the hospital. You let me get my ears pierced like 7 times because I continued to forget to put earrings in so the holes would close up. You defended and protected me when others wanted me to or believed I would fail. You volunteered to be my "Odyssey of the Mind" coach, just so I could have the opportunity to be apart of it. You attended all my basketball games even when you knew nothing about basketball and when you had a list of other things you could've been doing. You slept in a horribly uncomfortable hospital chair when I was sick. You moved me in and out of college every fall for four years. You fed me ice chips, told me I was doing great, and held my hand as I cried out in pain when each of your grandchildren were born. And you continue to deal with all my idiosyncrasies daily even if they do still drive you crazy. Happy Mother's Day Mom! I am so thankful you were chosen to be my mother!

Love, Steph-a-rooski