Today’s the day for all of us to remember how amazing and blessed we are for our mothers. I have the most amazing mom. She is the strongest woman I have now or ever had in my life. Up against the craziest, worst battles, she stands strong and ready to fight, no matter what the challenge. I wish I had that kind of strength.

I realize, looking back, how independent and awesome she was as a mom. She would drive us, by herself from Oregon to L.A. without the blink of an eye. I remember driving in this storm that scared the hell out of me, raining so hard I struggled to see too far in front of the car, and she drove on. In my eyes, nothing got in the way of what she wanted. My mom cooked every day, did all the shopping, managed the house (and I remember the house always being clean)… and she still made time to craft and make the most amazing things.

I never realized how blessed I was to have this beautiful, crafty and smart person in the house. I was such a rebellious asshole, I didn’t stop to think about how much I could learn if I just stopped fighting my parents. I did everything I could to get out of the house as soon as I could… teenagers! Now that I have two, I really feel remorse for how I acted when I was young.

Skipping right to today’s life. My mom struggles with diabetes, restless leg syndrome and living in a post-kidney transplant world. She has had pain for as long as I can remember… she gave up her keys to drive a long time ago. Giving up the keys meant giving up her freedom and independence, I cannot imagine how difficult that was for her. Before that, I don’t remember a day where she ever just stayed at home. Not one day.

Aging is a bitch. You would think after living for so long, the reward would be to retire with your body and health intact. For many of us living in this world of chronic pain and illness, that is certainly not the case. After working our asses off for years, here we are just trying to get through each day, hoping to have the ability to walk around the block one time… with a smile (not a grimace).

I admire my mom. I still hope to one day be like her. She can make me crazy with frustration, but at the end of the day… she makes me laugh like a hyena and smile each and every time I spend time with her.

I wish all of you a most memorable and special Mother’s Day. Today’s your day to sit back and relax… be thankful for what you have now and enjoy.

Breathe.

Thanks for stopping by. Take care!