My Mom

 I'm not sure why I don't talk about my mom as often as I do my Pop? I love them both and they are both great people to know. I've very lucky to have both of them still alive and healthy. I thank the Good Lord every day for them.

   My mom is an incredible woman, no really, she is, and the sad part is, I don't think we give her enough credit. She gave birth to 7 children natural (at a time when there were woman who got knocked out and woke up with a baby). She also breastfeed all of them in a time when many just popped a bottle of formula in the kids mouth and called it a day. And sadly she had to bury one child when he was a teenager. As a mom of two teenage boys I can't imagine the pain and heartbreak our mother suffered, but life went on and she endured and managed to take care of the house, the store my parents owned and keep our family together. 

   Hubby likes to tease his father in law about taking good care of "his cook". Truth be told, Hubby loves mom for just more then her cooking, but, since he's a tough guy, I'll pretend I don't know.

     I didn't realize growing up all the teachable moments my mom was sharing with me. And even now at 41, I'm still amazed to look back and think of a quiet word my mom would have and how she was able to keep the peace in the house. I need to work on praying to be more like her with her quiet words.

Mom, Me and Baby Girl at her Baptism

    And lest you think I've put my mom up to be some sort of saint, I realize she might have what some might consider to be a flaw or two. As adult children we'll think of a joke we might want to tell Pop, not wanting to tell mom and offend her sensibilities. (of course she wants to hear the joke) And we all laugh at the time my parents were visiting an antebellum house in Louisiana and when mom said she'd take a mint julep, the lady cautioned mom there was "strong liquor" in the drink. Mom decided she could handle it. So it's nice to see even a stranger sees Mom as a lady.

    Most of all I know I didn't appreciate my mom till I had kids of my own. Oh and the teen years, I really feel bad for my mom, I know now how painful those years are for a parent. Although I'm still not sure who has it tougher, the teen going through it, or the parent watching their teen go through all the pain and anxiety and there's not much a parent can do to help along the way.

   Mom had her hip replaced this summer. And with Pop's help, she mended very quickly. I'm not surprised though, mom's a tough cookie! And now this fall she had her knee replaced. Once again, she came right home from the hospital and she's healing and on her way to being better. I have to say, even with the pain she has, she's still cheery and pleasant company. Of course we know it's just so she can head down to Florida with Pop as soon as possible. I mean who wants to stay in cold PA when you've got a nice little house in FL just calling for you to come visit?

    So that's my mom. No, she may not be perfect, but she's pretty darn good and I'm sure I'd be lost with out her. So thanks Mom for everything, but most of all for not killing me when I was a teenager, I'm sure there were times when it crossed your mind to sell one or all of us kids off to the gypsies. Maybe you figured they wouldn't take us anyway.