Over the last week my mom had her birthday and Mother’s Day happens on Sunday. We used to joke that it was her whole week to be celebrated because we would celebrate her and a week later celebrate her again. So why not take the whole week to celebrate her?
As I have gotten older I seem to miss holidays, birthdays and need to pick and choose which ones I’ll be at. Last year I was fortunate to be with her as she traveled to DC for her birthday and I traveled home for a wedding on Mother’s Day weekend.
This year obviously is not that easy.
This week I have been able to do a lot of processing and simply thanking the Lord for my strong, loving, and caring mother.
I reflected on the times in my life when she would work extremely hard just so we could have the comfortable life style we had. I reflected on those times when I would fight with her and yell at her because I completely disagreed with her. I reflected on the times she would not let me skip school because I was “sick” or had a “broken heart” from a boy. I reflected on the times I would call her from college homesick and she’d send me a care package or just console me. I reflected on the times when I would call her in the grocery store (way too often) just to find out what aisle an item was in.
Then I reflected on my World Race and how supportive she has been. Those phone calls home that leave me with so much joy because I know about the people praying for me back home and talking about my journey. The many times she would check in on my fundraising and drop money in my account so I could splurge on an adventure day, have that nice dinner on my layover in New York or buy snacks because our ministry money was not sufficient for food. I thought about all the letters she wrote me so I could read them throughout my Race and whenever I called her she would pick up. Even if it was 4:30 in the morning in the states
Zooming out I see her reasoning behind the disagreements and times she was helping me to build my character. I may not understand being a mother yet, but I see her selfless love throughout my entire life.
So here is a tribute to you momma. Thank you for the strength you have showed. Thank you for the never ending support and love you give to everyone around you. Thank you for my siblings who have always been role-models. Thank you for being my mother on the days it’s really easy and the days it’s hard because I’m overly sassy, I get tattoos, I leave to travel the world for 11 months and take risks that any mother would be a little nervous about. You are a rockstar. Happy Mother’s Day. I love you. See you in six weeks??
