It’s hard to believe, but it has been 23 years since my mother passed away.  I still miss her every day……seriously, every day.  I was so fortunate to have such a wonderful mom, I just wish that I would have been able to recognize that through my teenage eyes.  She was older when they had me, I think she was 43.  They had 3 boys before me and thought they were done when along came a little girl.  She was pretty overprotective of me and I was independent. I think it is so ironic that I spent so many years trying to scoff at her advice, only to find out now, that on pretty much every issue…………she was right!  I wish she could have had the opportunity to hear me say that, to see me grow up, marry a wonderful, wonderful man, and have these 3 wonderful, wonderful children.  It’s ironic isn’t it, that we have to walk in their shoes (being parents ourselves) before really realizing what a gift we had  in our parents. I see now what a great person she was… a good mother, a good wife, a good christian, and  a good friend to so many!  She was full of joy and had a laugh that people could pick out in a crowd. She was gone too soon….I still had so many things to tell her, to share with her….so many things to ASK her!  But you move on and you do the best you can.  I know that I am-who I am because of the love and dedication that my parents put into parenting.  I was blessed to have a wonderful mother, and with God’s help…I’m trying to be a good mother.  So to all of you mothers out there  ~ Happy Mother’s Day ….and to all of you teenagers out there  ~  tell your mom that you appreciate all that she does for you!

A post wouldn’t be a post without a photo, so here is my mom and dad when I was about 18 years old!