For my mom

As usual, this blog is mostly about me and my job/life. I thought I'd take a moment on my first Mother's Day as a soon to be mother and write about my mom.

Growing up, it's easy to judge your parents and their flaws. It takes time, maturity, and a little bit of living to really see your parents clearly (if that's possible) and to appreciate them and all that they did in raising you.

I've been really lucky in life in so many ways. One of those ways is my family. Ever since I was born, they have formed a strong, sometimes invisible safety net around me. It's easy to forget how important family is until you need something, so I try to remind myself daily.

My mother was a stay-at-home mom to 5 kids, all born before she was 30. When you're young, you don't realize that being a SAH mom IS a job, just like any other. Growing up, we didn't eat out much. Mom always cooked dinner for us, and much of my childhood, we were required to all eat dinner together. We frequently had snacks waiting for us after school - our favorite, "bad" treats like chips and cookies. Mom liked to teach us about her favorite movies (on VHS, no less), so I grew up watching "Can't Buy Me Love" and "Ladyhawke" - movies I will one day probably force my daughter to watch.

When I went through middle school and high school, an extremely trying time for me, my mother was always empathetic and willing to end an ear. She's always been a peacemaker, always been supportive, and always told me that I could do whatever I wanted with myself. She never takes sides in an argument, instead seeing the good in people - no matter how faint. When us kids are fighting amongst each other, she is non-judgmental and forgiving.

I know that if I ever need support, even at 3 in the morning, I can call my mom.

I'm very lucky to have her, as well as the rest of my family. It's nice to take a few moments and think about why.