As we near Mother’s Day weekend, I find myself missing my mom just a little bit more.  I wonder if she thought about her first Mother’s Day on the day of our birth.  I wonder if she thought about it during her hellacious pregnancy.  Yes, a twin pregnancy is most definitely hellacious.  I don’t take it personally, though, and she never seemed to hold a grudge. 

I know that my mom’s purpose was to be a mother.  She does such a damn good job.  I am not discrediting other moms out there, I know many moms are huge rockstars, and I praise the strength it takes to be a mom.  Mine, she’s the best.  I know, my opinion is totally and completely biased.  She raised three children as a single parent.  And worked full time.  Yes, she had help.  But the title alone of being a single mom has such stigma and I have seen firsthand how degrading or judgmental people can be.  My mom raised us with such determination, grace and love.  

Raising children i.e.: making sure we had full tummies, plenty of laughs, good manners, taking us to ballet, soccer, swim, gymnastics, birthday parties, making sure our homework was done, teaching us the golden rule, enforcing the golden rule, teaching us to love, pursuing us to follow our dreams, always highlighting the value of education, putting a roof over our head, instilling life morals deep in our souls, making sure that we are cautious, teaching us how to make good life decisions…  Let’s not mention serving as a human incubator. And I can’t even imagine all the stress we have/are putting her through.  Sorry, Mom.  We don’t mean it.  

“Raising children” cannot be defined because I believe it is an infinite concept that is ongoing.  My mom is one of the closest people in my life and I continue to trust her judgement, her advice, and her love.  She’s not my best friend, she’s my mom.  And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

One of my favorite things about my childhood is just that.  It was a childhood.  I had little responsibility and thoroughly enjoyed it.  This goes beyond missing the simplicity of nap time and realizing now, that I did not fully appreciate nap time as I should have.  Rather, my mom allowed us to have a childhood.  We didn’t receive allowance as many of our peers did, but we did have some (very little) household chores that we had to do.  We did have to do our homework and we had to do our best.  Not straight As, but our best.  Which I think my mom did a great job at – holding each child to his and her own potential and not comparing each other.  She allowed us to be our own individuals.  

As a young adult that has to now pay her own bills (a complicated topic because I love it but I hate it – it means I am able to fully support myself but the act of being an adult and paying my life away hurts) I envy the little responsibility my mother made sure I had.  Didn’t have?  My mom says “When you’re a parent, you’ll understand.”  Though I am not a parent, I do understand why she strongly protested that we had part time jobs in high school.  She knew we had to work for the rest of our lives.  She didn’t want us to start early.  One of the many reasons I love that smart woman.  She’s funny too.  And beautiful, inside and out. 

My heart celebrates my mother every day, not just Mother’s Day.  She is one of my role models, and I hope that one day I am able to be half the mother she is.  I will be with new mommys this weekend at work, not mine.  But I will be thinking of her as I always am, and doing my best to support my moms and their miracle babies on the unit.  My mom is the strongest woman I know and one day to thank her seems like a cruel injustice.  How do you thank someone in a single day for raising you into the young woman you are today?  I will be forever grateful.  

There is no love like my mom’s. 

I love you, Mom. XOXO