Thankful: My mom rocks

Every year in November, I try to post on Facebook a daily expression of my thankfulness. This year, I’ve decided to go one step further and blog daily with these thankful posts. Considering how overwhelmed I’ve been lately, I thought this series would do one of two things. First, it would force me to write every day which is a source of therapy for me. Secondly, it would help me focus on all the wonderful things and people I have in my life.

My mom is awesome. I’m not just saying that because I know I’m her favorite child (because of course I am). I really mean that she is awesome.

I have a small list of absolute best friends, and mom is at the top of that list.

Pretty much every day, I call her. Sometimes, I fake a reason to call just so I can capture her time on the phone. (Oops, I just revealed my secret.)

Why is she so awesome, you ask?  Let me ‘splain.

Growing up, she was always willing to have my back. She told me that if I ever needed an “out” because people were asking me to do something I didn’t feel comfortable doing, I could use her as an excuse. “My mom won’t let me.”

Her reasoning was that she didn’t need my friends to be her friends, and she didn’t really care what they thought of her.

Bold.

So I do the same with Miss Sassy Pants, and I’ll do the same with the littles. Use me as your excuse. Tell your friends you’ll get in trouble. I don’t care. Just keep yourself out of those horrible, stupid situations.

She is always here for me when I need her. She’s retired, and I’m sometimes jealous of her ability to come and go as she pleases. But she did her time and deserves it. Regardless, she will literally drop everything if I need her.

In fact, just two weeks ago, she arrived home from a trip with Dad to their college homecoming, and I threw on her: “Um, could you help me hem some pants tonight so Miss Sassy Pants can wear them tomorrow?”

Without hesitation, she did it. There wasn’t even a grumble.

She does her best to stay relevant. There’s this funny story from what seems like a million years ago when I told my mom, “True that.” Her response?

“Lydia! It’s that’s true.” I probably gave her an eye roll and scoffed at her when I explained that, mom, this is just some slang.

I’ve never let her live that one down, but she really does a good job of trying to stay up with the times. And she takes the “hits” in stride. She may not have the lingo down, but she’s down with the 411 – for the most part.

When I need a babysitter, she’s the first one I call. If I need someone to watch the kids – whether planned or in a pinch – she’s there. I have no qualms about the choices she’ll make when she’s watching them (except that one time she taught my then-2-year-old Miss Sassy Pants how to drink milk from her cereal bowl!?).

It helps that she raised me, so I do stuff the way she does stuff.

See? My mom is pretty awesome.

And today, November 2, is her birthday. Happy birthday, Mom!

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