For Mama

As I sit here writing this the clock is ticking down. I now only have 20 days left here in the United States and it’s hard not to think of all the good byes that are coming. Eleven months is a long time and so the goodbyes will be more hard than I imagine, but there will be one goodbye that will be the hardest for me, my mom.

Yes saying good bye to the rest of my family and friends will be difficult, but most of those will happen in person. Saying goodbye to my mom will have to be over the phone because she lives in South Carolina and I live in Michigan and I won’t be able to get down to see her before launch.

My mom is one of my best friends and I can tell her anything even if it has to be over the phone. I sure am going to miss be able to call her up to ask for her advice, vent about something, or just to talk. My mom was the first person I told about wanting to go on the world race, she was the first in my family to encourage me to do it even though the thought of it has probably scared her to death. She has stood by my side time and time again letting me make my own mistakes and offering her love and advice. She just so happens to be one of the strongest people I know on earth as well. She never fails in letting me know how much I am loved.

Mom you taught me how to live and how to be a better person and I know this will be hard for both of us. There is a song that I want you to youtube; I’ll post the lyrics. The song is called Mama’s Song by Carrie Underwood and even though it’s probably about a wedding when I first heard it I put God in it as the man so I want you to do that. You should know that I am going to be alright be he is so good and he’ll never leave. He has had a plan for my future since the day I was born and the world race is and will be a big part of my future. This is only goodbye for 11 months then I’ll be back and grown into the woman God has called me to be. And because I take after you I know that you will worry about me, but don’t everything will be good. Thanks for everything you have done mom.