My Mom

I love my mom. The other day, I wrote about my dad, and I feel like my mom deserves a post all on her own. My mom and I won a mother/baby look-alike contest when I was a baby. Apparently, I've taken my looks after her. I look a lot like her, and I'm good with that. I like what I look like.

My mom was my piano teacher and my school teacher. She spent many hours teaching me many different things. Outside of teaching me things directly, she taught me many things by observing who she was. I learned how to work hard. Raising 8 kids is no joke, and she must have been constantly doing many things at the same time to keep all of us alive. My parents had us help a lot around the house. We did a lot of gardening and cleaning. I learned how to do things well. When I garden now as an adult, I have to do a thorough job of it. No weeds left behind!

I remember practicing piano. I hated practicing piano. One day, she wouldn't let me go have lunch till I finished practicing. All I know is I am a stubborn person.  I don't know how long I sat there throwing a fit, but she held her ground. I must have eventually practiced, I honestly don't remember. I'm glad she stuck it out with me. Playing the piano was a blessing, talent, and job that I wouldn't have had if she had let me just not practice. 

I have always felt a connection to my mom. I feel comfortable telling her a lot of things. Before I was dating Matt, she got to hear all my worries, wondering if he liked me, and the discomfort of trying to navigate the dating world. She would listen while I rambled. I'm glad she listened to me. We are very similar in many ways, and that has made talking with her easy. Now that I'm an adult, we share a lot of insights with each other that we have. I enjoy that talk time with my mom. I'm glad she listens to all the things I've learned.

My mom taught me to drive. She was patient and a good teacher. After that, we went on drives here and there with each other. We'd drive around the outskirts of town just to talk. It was fun to drive aimlessly and have my mom's full attention. We would talk about whatever was going on in my life. I realize how much she has listened to me over the years talk about myself. I wish now that I had asked her more about her life at that time.

She wasn't a perfect mom, and I didn't need her to be. As a mom myself, I recognize how hard it is to be a mom. It can be so difficult to know what to say, how to discipline, and how to support my children. I imagine it wasn't any easier for her as a mother. She was enough for me just by being herself. I'm grateful I have the mother that I have. We've had a lot of good times together.