Wear your retainer.

You could probably guess what this week’s blog post would be. There are Mother’s Day celebrations happening everywhere, so first let me wish all the mommas (of all kinds!) a very Happy Mother’s Day.

My mom and I have been watching the morning news together this week, and the Today show featured stories about moms nominated by their kids to be honored in one special way or another. It got me thinking about what I would write if I nominated my mom, so here it goes..

I would like to nominate my mom for the Mother’s Day honors for a multitude of reasons. She was one of nine children in her own family; she was the exact middle child. She went on to have three kids of her own and has always said that we are each her favorite (jury’s out on which one of us is ACTUALLY her favorite). I’ve mentioned in previous posts that my view of my childhood is a charmed life. I credit most of this feeling to my mom. It wasn’t as if we were without struggles but she always made each of us feel like the favorite.

I think every mom has some “isms”, and my mom is no different. We like to laugh at them now, but truly her habits are what made each of her kids successful. She had high expectations of us, teaching us to speak and act for ourselves from a young age. She raised us as my grandma (her mom) raised her – with deep roots in the Catholic faith and a foundation built on family. When times got tough, it was rare that I was even aware of our struggles. She protected us as kids and prepared us as adults.

She’s funny especially when she’s not trying to be and tells me things like “now don’t go tell that to your friends” when she does something funny. A lot of my personality is from my mom, whose personality is a lot like my grandma’s, and I hope all of that translates into motherhood.

She taught me how to be a mom without really intending to. When we found out about Regan, she cried every tear with me. She says that for whatever her kids feel, she feels it to the power of ten. She loves us and now her grandchildren fiercely and guides me in my role as a mother. She was just as baffled as me when we found out about Regan’s diagnosis but even through the tears I could feel her love for our sweet babe. I knew she would help me navigate this brand-new world in whatever capacity I needed. She helps me continue to learn, taught me how to be a strong Texas woman but keep my patience and compassion for others. Thank you for everything, Momma. I hope I’m half the momma you are.

Now for laugh, here are some of her “isms”..

“Always wear your retainer – I paid for those teeth.”

She got talked into running a half marathon by my dad, “forgot” to train for it, then she went for a 9 mile run THE DAY BEFORE the half marathon to “see if she could do it.”

She quoted a line from modern family in saying “I don’t want to be right all the time, but I just don’t live with the right people for that.”

When the song was popular, she sang (with full conviction) “WHO LET THE DOGS IN??”

While out to eat, my brother ordered a Lone Star beer and my mom said, “A Lone Star?? I haven’t had one of those since the 7^th grade!”

She’s famous for saying, “If I could’ve had lessons in ______________ (insert any Olympic sport here), I could’ve been REALLY good.”

She once told my sister at a swim meet, “If you could’ve just moved your arms faster, you’da beat that girl next to you.”

We love you so much, Momma.

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