My Relationship with My Mom
Considering Paris is the one that encouraged me to start this blog, this post is a long time coming. This Mother's Day is extra special for me because I am a new mom. But it is also special for Paris because she is a new grandma. So I want to share with you my relationship with my mom.
Paris does a lot for other people. She runs three small businesses. She teaches a church class at 6 am to a group of teenagers. She takes care of my cousin twice a week. She cooks a large meal every day for at least 5 people.
My mom was there when Jackie was born. She stayed with us until I told her to go home and then came rushing back when things got scary. Paris made sure The Husband and I were fed during our stay at the hospital and brought treats for the nurses. She has come over to my house almost every day with food and advice. She has taken care of Jackie a few times when The Husband and I wanted/needed to go out.
I could go on and on about all the things she does. But there are certain things that have stood out to me over the years, things that have made her an incredible mom. The kind of mom I hope to be. She is honest. Not just honest, brutally honest. People come to her for advice and council because she is so forthcoming. This also applied to our relationship. She made sure I knew how she felt about things even if I didn't like it. She is the best person to go shopping with because she won't tell you that you look good in something that looks horrible on you. But she also told me when I was doing something dumb and needed to change. She takes care of everyone. After I had Jackie, she made sure we had dinner every night and if The Husband wasn't home, she was there. When family is in town, she hosts dinner at her house. If family or friends are passing through the area and need a place to stay, she offers a room. She is supportive. She is the biggest salesperson for her kids. My younger brother wrote a book and she carries his business cards around in her wallet. When I made burlap wreaths the first few years I was married, she hosted parties at her house to sell them. She tells everyone about my blog.
In the last six weeks, I have seen what being a mom is like. I just hope that I can be half the mom to Jackie that she has been to me.