I Remember MOM...

Sunday is, of course, Mother's Day. It will be a day when I relish in being a mom. What an incredible journey it's been and one I wouldn't trade even if I could! I love my girls with every ounce of my being. I would swim the deepest sea and climb the highest mountain just for them.

Mother's Day, however, is also a day for me to remember my mom and best friend who passed away in November of 2000. She fought a brave and courageous fight against breast cancer and died at the age of 68. Hardly a day goes by that I don't think of her. She was so much a part of who I was, and continue to be. She taught me about faith, compassion, understanding, forgiveness, and selflessness. She made our house a HOME. She filled it with love, laughter, and endless memory-making moments. Her sense of humor was infectious! She never passed up an opportunity to laugh at herself. We used to have some major "giggle fests"! Oh, the messes we could get ourselves in! I still recall so vividly the softness of her hand in mine and how the skin on her face felt like velvet. I always thought she was the most beautiful and smartest mom around. She supported me through all of my growing up years and allowed me to confide in her about anything and everything. I knew she always had my best interests at heart.

I was blessed beyond measure to have Mom in my life. Yet, I still can't help but feel like I was robbed. We still had so much to see and do together! Brittany was only 8 and Abby was just 4 when Mom passed away. My heart aches knowing all the time she missed with them! Mom would have LOVED watching them grow into the beautiful young ladies they are today. I think she would have enjoyed hearing about some of the "trials" I've gone through as a mother...and probably would have laughed herself silly! I wish I would have had her around to ask how to do this, or what I should do about that. No one offers better advice, in my book, than your own mother.

Even though Mom was taken from me much too soon, I still have a heart that's filled with gratefulness for even having her in my life, at all. My prayer is that she's looking down on me from Heaven with the satisfaction of knowing that I've done everything I can to carry on her legacy of love. Her memory is being kept alive because I share stories about her all the time with my girls. I want them to understand what a remarkable person she was and how much she meant to me.

So, on this Mother's Day, I hope and pray that if you're lucky enough to still have your mom around, you won't pass up any chance you've been given to tell her you love her and to thank her for all she's done. For those of you who are moms, I hope your Mother's Day is special in every way and that you're surrounded by those who love you. For those of you who are struggling to become a mother, please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you and that you, one day, will have the desires of your heart.

"A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials, heavy and sudden, fall upon us, when adversity takes the place of prosperity, when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us, when troubles thicken around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts."~Washington Irving


P.S Tomorrow night is Brittany's first prom...pray that all goes well! I'm sure I'll have pictures to share with you next week!