All the Moms

I love my family.

I know that everyone doesn't have as large a family as I do, who are geographically as close together (M&D, you can stay in Charlotte since you're such great visitors).  I am glad that mine's pretty big and relatively nearby, though.  I write about family a lot, and they are a very important part of my life and who I am today.  I always get sentimental around Mother's Day.  It's probably because the commercials get all sentimental around Mother's Day... Why are Mother's Day commercials always such tear-jerkers and Father's Day commercials just make fun of dads?  Doesn't seem fair.... I'm getting sidetracked.

One thing I love about my family is that they're all so different, and I've learned a lot from each of my family members.  Today, though, is about the moms.  Here's what I've learned from each of them:

Auntie Kim is the newest mom in my family... she's got two young, energetic boys who keep everyone around them busy, but she's still always so full of joy and takes the time to ask about all the things going on in my life.  Before she was a mom, I used to visit her when I was at Cal and gab about boys, and to this day she remembers the personas of anyone I dated for over a week.


Auntie Lyric loves family.  She is a wonderful daughter and hard worker, and she's raised her son to value family in a way that warms my heart.  He is a wonderful son and grandson and a great leader for the rest of us cousins, and I know it's because he loves his mom and because she raised him to love family the way she does.

Auntie Maria lights up any room she's in.  For as long as I can remember, she has filled her time by helping and constantly giving to her husband and her kids, and she does it with energy and happiness.  She is also a great listener and friend to anyone she meets.

One of the first things I remember about Aunt Amie is when we were in Hawaii and my cousins were a lot younger, her constantly telling her daughters about the importance of sunscreen (this of course the non-dark side of the family).  Now that I'm older, I love hearing Aunt Amie's insight about things and her children never seem to stop impressing me with their intellect and talents.

Aunt Pam has lots of sass.  Sometimes people tell me that I'm sassy, and I take it as a compliment, regardless of its intended connotation.  She is full of life and humor, and her kids are funnier and much tougher than I am.  She was also a surrogate mother and is now a published writer, and I admire her unstoppable personality and heart.

My newest aunt, Kirsten, doesn't have any kids, but in the few years she has been a part of our family, she has added more than her share of love for my cousins and sisters and I.  Her sweetness is a welcome touch to our silly-heavy family.

I've mentioned before that at my work, one of my responsibilities is to organize some social engagements. Any party successes I've had, I have to give credit to Grandma.  She's the one who has engrained in me that food should never run out and that the most important thing is being together.  Her 80th birthday party a little over a year ago drew more people than I hope to ever know in my lifetime; everyone had a great time, but the most amazing thing was to see how many people she has loved who have an eternity of thanks to give her.  I will never forget hearing my dad tell so sincerely of all the qualities he loves and admires about his mother, and it's because of him that I can speak so sincerely of her and the other mothers in my life.

I think back on the last few years, and I am pretty sure I'm turning into Nana.  (And I like it.)  She is thoughtful and open-minded, but she's not afraid to speak her mind, and she has some sass in her, too.  She loves to write a good email and her pantry is super-organized.  I've always appreciated that she celebrates the differences in her children and her grandchildren, and even the differences between my twin sister and I.  It's important to her to remember my favorite snacks and keep up-to-date on my blog, and I know she does the same for all her grandkids.

Then there's her daughter, my favorite mom... mine.  I love to talk about my mom.  I love to hear other people talk about my mom.  She is happy and friendly without being insincere.  She is endlessly generous and forgiving without being a pushover.  She is thoughtful and has the same memory for the things that make my sisters and I happy--and she is also an avid reader of all her daughters' blogs--even though I know her medical history means a memory problem and not the fastest wpm reading speed.  She loves to try new things, but I can always count on her to be ready for an episode of Law and Order with me.  My dad loves her so much; she has taught me by example that it's worth the wait for a man who will love me as much as my mom is loved.  My mom never forgets who she is (well, maybe that one time for a little bit), and she never forgets what is the most important and to live in a way that reflects those things.

Someday, I'll be able to fit things in tupperware containers as perfectly and make cookies as delicious as Mom does, but for now I'll just celebrate her and the other moms in my family who have been so wonderful, and I'll look forward to one day being as great of moms as they are.

Happy Mother's Day.