Mother

I should be cleaning.  My Mom is coming for a visit and she'll be here in two hours, hopefully.  Who knows, with the roads being winter and all...

I've mentioned my Mom a time or two before.  She's a big part of my life.  We have a really great relationship and I can't imagine who I'd be if not for her.
The most impressive thing about my Mom is her heart.  It's huge.  I think her entire body is heart.  If not, then her entire spirit is.
Mom welcomes so many people into her heart.  She's become the mother figure to so many cousins and friends.  If you're down on your luck, if you're an emotional mess, my Mom is who you go to.  She's let people move in when they needed help, she knows the healing power of a hug or a shoulder to cry on.  She's forgiven the many slights of her children.

Mom yelled at a cop, for me.  She chased down a bus on a two-lane highway in fog, for me.  She's done much more for others.
I'll never understand how she does it, but I'll always admire her for it.

Mom loves to laugh.  It's so easy to make her laugh.  Her huge heart has got to be filled with laughter, and joy.  Her close friends have been laughing with her for my lifetime.  She's loyal and a wonderful friend.

We have differing views on some things, like politics, but when I speak, she listens, and vice versa.  We respect each other's opinions, even if we disagree.

When I was a kid in elementary school she worked 3 jobs, one full-time and two part-time, to support her kids.  I never once heard her complain or felt any kind of resentment against us.  She's loved us so much, no matter what.  Even when my brother left for Washington and came back a different, mean person.  Even when my sister came home drunk when she was 16, or moved out 3 times, or called her nasty names.  Even when I went against her wishes to go to Canada alone, at 18, and see a strange man.

She hasn't always agreed with my decisions, but she's always supported me no matter what.
She went to every band concert I played in, no matter what.

I hear horror stories about other mothers who are nasty to their kids or really opinionated or extremely disapproving of everything and appreciate my Mom all the more for the amazing woman she is.

Mom used to make me clean the house when people were coming over and I always swore  that I would NEVER clean before someone came to MY house because, please, if they know me, they know I'm not a super clean person.

But whatever.  Mom's coming, so I need to get back to cleaning, so she knows she didn't raise a disgusting, messy kid.

I love you, Mom

I had to put it in bigger letters so she could read it in case she's got watery eyes.  ;o)

This Thanksgiving, and every Thanksgiving, and every other day, I'm so grateful for my wonderful Mom.