My Mommy

My mom, like most mom's, did everything for us and always got the short end of the stick. Her accomplishments are many, though for me, at least, I never really noticed them even when they were right in front of me. As kids she drove us everywhere- to tennis lessons, swimming lessons, cooking lessons, softball, baseball, choir, to gymnastics at 6AM. She took me to the library regularly, not only to take out books, but to see magicians and puppet shows. She did crafts with us on that brown barrel-table in the den and gave me a spot of my own to plant a garden of pansies. We went to summer's world, and swimming at the town pool. She even gave me a can of Cambell's soup so that I could iron my dad's handkerchiefs while she did her ironing next to me. I remember her crushing up our aspirin and trying to hide it in a tsp. of orange juice and sitting with me while I cried of an earache on the couch. She brought my brother to the dr. week after week for his beesting therapy. She was on all sorts of committees, chaired most of them, and worked hard for our greater good. I thought it was cool just to have her volunteer in the library at Nelson Place. She kept things going when my dad was so sick (he even tried to die on her, but she can occasionally be a bit, ummmm, pushy and that day she wasn't ready to let him go) She then started her own business and led a staff of 5 during the day before coming home to my teenage crap at night. She is still taking care of me and cleaning up after me to this day. She tried hard to instill order to my chaos, but sadly it never really stuck--until now. Now that I have a family of my own and I see all the behind-the-scene stuff that needs doing. All the stuff that you work so hard at, that you never get credit for. I had an awesome childhood and I can only hope to be as successful as she was at the end of the day. Thanks, mom. You're the best. I love you!