Since having children, I have learned that birthday are not all about the person having the birthday. It is more of a celebration for the mom that her kids have stayed alive and made it through another year! It sounds crazy, I know. But I remember when Asher turned one, I said to myself, "I made it through one year, he made it through one year. I did it!" Now that he is going to turn two in just four months, I can't believe that I will have made it through two years!
With that being said, my 29th birthday is tomorrow and I want to give a little shoutout to my mom for helping me make through these 29 years.
I mean, I was born in freakin' Las Vegas. I can't believe either of us survived that. You went to school, graduated and became a nurse all in the first year of my life. You set the bar pretty high for what I might achieve in my children's first years of life.
We moved all around the country and world in the last 29 years. Here is where I have been with you leading the way:
Las Vegas, NV
Woodbridge, VA (4 years)
Kansas City, KS (1 year)
Berlin, Germany (4 years)
Seoul, South Korea (2 years)
Burke, VA (1 year)
Carlisle, PA (1 year)
Staten Island, NY (4 years)
Fairfax, VA
this is where we parted:
Columbia, SC (4 years)
Asheville, NC (7 years)
And you moved to Albany, GA six years ago.
I remember feeling like I wasn't going to make it everytime we moved, yet you taught the amazing lesson of "bloom where you are planted" and to keep looking forward to what we have wherever we live. I haven't forgotten those lessons and I remember the biggest one that you and I thought through together: Although we have never had a "permanent home" to come home to, we have one in heaven through Jesus Christ and nothing else will ever satisfy. We will always long for that home above all else.
Also, another moving lesson...you get a chance at starting over everytime you move. Also, I know I can live anywhere and get through just about anything. And, that if I needed to...we could sell our house and I could move all of our stuff in a 48-hour period. If I had to.
I remember distinctly the time in the seventh grade when one girl broke into my locker and destroyed pictures of mine (my favorite one of Shellie and me, with ridiculous glasses from the Olympics), threw away my books and just trashed my locker. She also was making life a living hell and I didn't want to go to school anymore. You let me cry to you, you hugged me and made me feel like I was worth something. I have never forgotten that and it set my mind straight about the fact that stupid people will always try to tear you down, but we can survive. And, if it doesn't get better...we were going to move in a few months and so I could at least get through a few hard months and just start over.
You sacrificed every minute of spare time that you had for four years to drive me, Erica Leonardini and Elaine L. to Long Island, NY five times a week for soccer practice, games, tournaments and camps. I doubt that I could give my own children this gift because of the price that I would have to pay personally. Thank you for giving to me so selflessly simply because I had a dream and you wanted to make it happen if you could.
Thank you for collecting 5,500 Snapple labels with me in high school from everyone that we knew so I could get a Snapple refrigerator that I would later abandon at your house.
You helped to pay for college even though you gave up every spare minute you had while I was in high school (see above paragraph) so that I could play college soccer, but soccer didn't really pay for college. Gulp.
You helped me to see I would get past my relationship with Ed and that God had better plans in store for me. And did he ever.
You have been a great mom and have helped me to become the mom that I am now by just being you. We have made it almost 29 years so far. You did it! Happy 29 years of being my mom! I love you!
(BTW: this post also made me realize that I don't have any decent pictures of you and me together. Let's try to make that happen this weekend.)
Also, dad--you did these things too. I just can totally relate to mom on my birthday this year. Love you!
How about you out there in blogland? What lessons did your mom teach you? Send up comments!
7 comments:
Oh Leslie,
I can't believe how much I have learned about you since I have been reading your blog, and I also can't believe that even though you and Matt have been married for almost 6 years, that I am actually only now getting to know you through this blog!!!!! Your mom post is just beautiful--and what a tribute to your mom! All the stuff about soccer practice and tournaments brought back so many memories of juggling Katy's soccer/basketball practices and games with also going to games to watch Kelly do cheerleading and dance team--many times on the same night!! BTW, both Kelly and Katy also had nightmare experiences with friends in 7th grade which still bring tears to my eyes when I talk about them-we thought for sure that they would be scarred for life! You just cannot believe how much your heart can ache to see your own child hurt by their friends. Must be something about 7th grade girls. I must tell you, though, that just watching Katy be the mother that she is to Addie and all of her phone calls asking for advice are more than enough to make me realize that I must have done a pretty good job after all. I guess that all of those times that I went to bed asking myself, "why did I yell at them, or why didn't I take the time to read one more book?" were actually forgotten (or forgiven!) I've just come to realize that my biggest joy of motherhood is actually watching my own daughter become such an awesome mother! I'll bet that one day you will feel the same way about little Lucy! (and I'll bet your mom feels the same way too!)
Love, Judy
LOVE the "Moms" blog!Happy Birthday to You!! We Love you! Mary, Ned, Burton and Edward
Thanks Judy for your amazing response to my blog! So great to hear about how EVERYONE goes through the same junk...only some people have moms that walk through it with them and others have moms that aren't available (emotionally or physically). I was fortunate to have a mom that would give me what I needed!
Thanks for the birthday wishes Mary! I am glad that everyone is okay after the storms last night!
Happy birthday, Leslie! I hope you've had a wonderful day.
I've learned so much from my mom, but the biggest blessing is watching her interact with my kids. So fun! She saved a message Drew left her almost a year ago and she replays it on bad days; I love that some part of my life is giving back to her some of the joy and comfort she gave to me.
Happy birthday, Leslie! Hope you have a great day!
My mom taught me how to sew, how to garden, and how to burp like a man. She's a cool lady!
When I first read this blog, I couldn't formulate my own comments enough to share what makes this particular post so special.
For one thing, it really shows the incredible person you are. On your own birthday, you have managed to look at it through the eyes of a mother and have formed such a perfect dedication to our own incredibly amazing Mom!
Our "RiRi" truly is the kind of mom, friend and person we should all strive to be. She is selfless in so many ways and completely passionate about everything she does. I'd like to think I have picked up some of those traits from her. Sometimes it's hard because I've also developed the pesky habit of perfectionism from both our parents.
On my 16th birthday, mom helped pick out a typewriter for me that to this day is one of the most meaningful gifts ever. It showed that she completely believed in me and my dream to be a journalist. She's never allowed me to doubt myself and has taught me more lessons than I can fit into words.
On your 29th birthday, dear Leslie, YOU are still the best present our parents have ever given to me. A sister! The day I found out mom was pregnant with you AND the day you were born are two of the best days in my entire life. To have you as a sister is one of the great blessings of my life. Happy Birthday!
My mom taught me so many lessons that it is hard to put into any words that could describe the journey she had to take as a divorced, single mother in the 1960's with four children to raise without much help from my father unfortunately...through all of that however, just a few of the greatest gifts she handed down to me are love for family & how to be stong and independent, and the greatest gift she has ever given me is unconditional love. It would take me hours and many pages to describe the incredible joy and love she gives to my children, not to mention the time she has spent with them since both of their births. When Ned and I decided to move back "home" to Albany in 1994 after being in Tampa for 7 years, one of the reasons was to be closer to my mom (and to Mimi and Bob too!)... I just got up one morning and realized I did not want to be a 5 drive away from her with my then 3 year old Burton...I wanted to be able to ride over and see her whenever I wanted, spend time with her and raise my children near her, and that has been such a blessing. I will go with her today to my Great Aunt's funeral in Dawson, and I will cherish that time as much as any other. I thank God every day for a mom like mine.
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