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Happy Birthday Mom!

Today is the 61st anniversary of the day my mother made her grand entrance!

I wanted to take this opportunity to wish her the happiest of birthdays...she deserves it.

She's been through a lot in her life, and I really admire her strength. Some of you may have seen my Father's Day post so you know a little of our history...but today I'd like to elaborate a little more.

Like me, all my mom wanted when she became a mother was to stay home and raise her children. She was only able to do that for less than 2 years. When I was a little younger than 2, and my mother was expecting her 2nd child, her husband decided he didn't want to be a father or husband any longer, and he left.

My mother was a single, pregnant mother without a job. She went home to Idaho to have my brother. But then she moved to another state as a young, single mother of 2 in order to find work and support her small family. She worked long days, and came home to take care of her children in the evenings by herself.

For me, by the time evening rolls around I've had it a little bit...I can't wait for bedtime so I can have some peace and quite! I imagine she was often exhausted after work, and still had us waiting at home, depending on her. We were pretty poor, as I now realize. But then, we didn't know that. She made sure we never went without. We never knew we were broke!

When I was almost 8, she met my (adoptive) dad. They were married a couple of months later, and we started our new blended family. My mom was finally to realize her dream of being a stay at home mom. I had a new sister, 1 year older than me, and my mom soon was expecting my youngest brother. She decided to continue at her job until my little brother was born, then be at home full time with all of us.

During this 9 months, my dad went in for his 2nd back surgery, and due to permanent nerve damage, and scar tissue build-up, was never able to return to the work force again. Mom mom continued her 30+ year career with her employer. She only barely retired a few short years ago.

She has been my dad's constant caretaker, as each year his health has diminished more and more...she was both bread winner and bread baker! My dad was a wonderful stay at home dad, but our family is pretty old fashioned, and needless to say, this is not the way they envisioned raising their family!

My dad did an amazing job caring for us at home, cooking a lot of the time, and teaching us the value of hard work! On his good days we would spend hours out in the garden, or yard. But he inevitably would overdo it on his good days, and then would end up in bed for the rest of the week! That's still the way it goes, only the good days are fewer and farther between, and the "laid up days" that are the result of overdoing it last longer!

Not only has my mom cared for him, and us her whole life, but she's always been the first to help those around her as well. My whole life I remember her making meals to take in to neighbors who were sick, or had just had a baby, or surgery, or some other circumstance that brought out the need in her to serve others. She's the first to volunteer anytime someone is in need of service.

I can't even begin to explain how much she has helped each of her children over the years. With my current church calling, and serving on the Board of Trustees at our charter school, I have many evening time committments. This is hard with young kids when your husband works in the evenings. I don't know how I would manage to fulfill all my obligations if it weren't for her willingness to come stay with my kids. And they LOVE when grandma comes to stay. She's so not the grandma that comes over and puts a movie on for the kids to watch. She's the grandma that brings over story books to read to them, and gets down on the floor to build blocks, or wrestle, or play games. She's the grandma who paints toenails with the girls, sings lullabys (off-key I might add) to Monkey, and hires Bookworm to come do yardwork with her so he can earn a little spending money. They love her so much.

We all do, and although my mom and I are both so much alike in the area of stubborness, and pride that we often butt heads, I am so grateful to have her in my life.

Have a wonderful birthday Mom...you deserve it!

Comments

Macey said…
Aww, that's great! Even though your momma was never able to be the SAHM, she gave you a wonderful gift!
She gave you your new dad who could and did take wonderful care of you! Now that is a rare thing.
Macey
Melissa said…
I love Moms. Happy birthday to yours!
What a sweet post!! Your mom sounds like an AMAZING woman! She deserves a wonderful, special day. :)
Oh Xazmin!! What a beautiful tribute to your mom. She is such an inspirational woman. I love the hear about people like this and I love to hear about beautiful blended families. I have met many of them and it is so inspirational. It gives others hope! I really needed to hear this today. Thanks so much for sharing. It's funny too cuz I made a similar tear jerking post about my Grandpa yesterday! Have a wonderful day!
Tanielle said…
Happy Birthday J!!!! My little Jibbity thinks that she is her Grandma too, and just today was wondering when it would be Easter again, so she could go for the Easter egg hunt! Like mother, like daughter, you are both amazing!:-)
Jenny said…
Happy birthday to your Mom! That was a wonderful post and she sounds like an amazing woman.
What a wonderful post. It struck me how heroes are often born of the seemingly mundane challenges of life. Your mother probably just viewed herself as a regular single mother trying to do her best, or as a loving wife making the most of a difficult situation, and yet her facing those daily challenges so well has not only made her a hero to you, but now an inspiration to everyone who reads your blog. Happy Birthday to your mother!! May she have a wonderful day.
STILLMAGNOLIA said…
I loved this Xazmin. It was an amazing story about an amazing woman. This is the kind of hero...young girls should look up to...instead of the Brittney's and the other media group. This is a woman we should all want to be just like. You are lucky to have had such an awesome mom. Wish her a happy birthday for me.
shortmama said…
Happy Birthday to your mama! What an admirable woman she is!
Ann said…
thanks so much for sharing your mother with us..what a wonderful role model and woman! A very Happy Birthday to her!!
What an amazing woman your mom sounds like! Her story really touches me. Thank you for sharing it.
xoxo
Unknown said…
What a wonderful tribute to your mom on her birthday!! Such a sweet story to hear too.

Thanks for sharing...I feel like I know you even better now!

~Becca
Heather said…
Your mom sounds incredible. What a lucky daughter you are!

Happy Birthday!!
Buttercup said…
Thank you for a beautiful tribute (and thank you for not telling what I'm really like!) You are the greatest daughter anyone could ever have - I am so proud of you and I love you!!!!! Mom
Marrdy said…
Happy Birthday to your amazing mom!
kado! said…
Your Mom sounds Wonderful....I'm so glad you have such a great MOM! I hope she has a super Birthday too!
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Keli said…
I had no idea your mom was such a saint! Amazing family you have. It says a lot about your mom to work so hard and keep a smile on her face, and not kill her children. ;) Kudos to her!

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