Wow, What a Mom!

And no, I'm not talking about myself.

I'm talking about MY mom.  She's nuts, really... but seriously great.  You know I'm not the type to sugar coat things... and if you've been reading for a while, you know I've got some major snark, so this isn't gonna be your typical sappy post.

My mom, like I said, she's nuts.  She makes me crazy more often than not.  She's loud... sooooo loud.  And she curses up a storm.  She has taught me a lot about how not to behave.  But for all her faults, she is one HELL of a mom.

She constantly teaches me about sacrifice, selflessness and unconditional love for your children.

She always tells the story of when I was a baby and how she had to be a SAHM to take care of me because I was so sick and needed round the clock care... "I stayed home for 4 years and we were so poor we were eating picadillo (ground beef) every night and I had holes in my underwear".  It's one of those stories you've heard since you remember breathing and it's like, yeah yeah yeah, ok.  It makes no impact on me.  I mean, yeah I was there, but it feels like I wasn't, so I'm not impressed.  For her, this is probably her first real encounter with sacrificing for your children.  For her, this was a huge burden, but she did it... for me.

And of course, throughout the years there have been uncountable events in which she has sacrificed and showed selflessness for me... as with any mother.  That's what a mother does, right?

But it really hit me later... as in, most recently.  She is pretty awesome.  All along, I've had sort of an attitude of "well, duh, she's my mom, she should do that"... but for how long?  For how long can I claim residence under her umbrella?  For how long can I continue to ask her to be selfless?  After all, although I hate to admit it, I AM an adult... you know, a 28 year old married mother... definitely an adult.  So when's my expiration date here?

When I was administered to the hospital with pre-term labor, she got on a flight to SC the very next day.  She bought a one way ticket and said she'd be there for as long as I needed.  She took over all of my motherly duties for Marco and did everything until after Jonas was born, over a week later.  If you know my mom personally, you know how huge this is.  She's a mother, but she's not very "motherly".  But she did it... she stayed for as long as I needed her... and gladly.  She stepped up big time.

But that one is kinda expected.  I mean, it was the birth of my child... of course she'd be there.  Recently she has outdone herself... and that's really saying something.

Remember back in September when I totalled my car?  We were put in such a difficult situation.  Basically, we have no money to buy a new car.  We're trying to save money right now, and buying a car would have thrown off our entire plan and delayed our mission by months, maybe even a year.  Without even asking, my mom came over the very next day and gave me her car.  She told me to keep it for as long as I needed... and when I told her that may be a year, she said ok.  Excuse me, are you reading this?  How insane is that?  Her and her husband had a spare car, an old one that they hadn't parted with, so she made her husband take that one, she took his and she gave me hers... for as long as I need it.

I have been stunned.  Wow, what a mom!  To give her daughter... a 28 year old married mother, her car.  Unbelievable.  She has been an incredible blessing in my life always, and not just because of the car.  I am so grateful to know that she's got my back and that to her I'm still her little girl.  She's teaching me what kind of a mother I ought to be for my boys... and how to behave for their sakes.

Now check out my sweet ride... courtesy of the best mom ever!