Happy Mother's Day

It’s Sunday May 8, 2011 – Mother’s Day

Happy Mother’s day.

When I grew up, I had a little bit of a rough child hood. Without getting into that much detail, my mom didn’t raise me. My grandparents did. My grandparents adopted me and my sister in the late 70’s.

My grandparents grew up in the 40’s and 50’s but my mom grew up in the late 60’s and early 70’s.  To be raised by our grandparents is a HUGE generation gap! My grandfather never understood what I was doing or why I didn’t want to be a painter like him. (My grandfather was painter for 35 years) I was always an outgoing person and I wanted to be a radio DJ ever since high school. My grandfather didn’t know why I didn’t like fixing things.

Now my grandmother, she was more of a stay at home mom. Oh, she had her share of jobs.  A factory for 15 years. K-mart for about 10. But mostly, her job was raising her own 2 kids (2 daughters) and then my sister and me. You see, even though my mother gave birth to me and my sister, my mom was never around that much.

But (and this is very important) my grandmother rarely turned my mom away. That’s the kind of kind heart she has.  Only at a very last resort of desperation did she ever throw her daughter (my mom) out. (I can really only think of once) My grandmother would almost always have her door open for any of her kids or grandkids.

And even though my grandmother raised me she legally IS my mother! (since she adopted me) But to me, my grandmother IS my grandmother. And my mom…is my mom.  No piece of paper will tell me otherwise.

Now here it is, many years later, my mom lives with my grandmother! In the very same house I grew up in, in the suburbs of Cleveland, OH. My grandmother is almost 85 and my mom is in her 60’s. It’s great to see my mom help take care of my grandmother.

I can’t visit them today because my wife and I just sold our old house and we are trying to get back on our feet. (shouldn’t take to long now, we don’t have 2 house payments anymore!) but I plan on going up to visit them really soon.

I wish my mom and grandmother knew how to work a computer. This way I could see them on Skype! But a simple phone call will have to do. On the other hand, sometimes that’s all it takes. Something simple.

In 2007 my wife and I had our daughter Paige. My wife became a mother! Now Amy is the “mother” in my family. Amy is a great mom too.

But I don’t just mean “family” as in me, Amy and our daughter Paige either. I mean, it’s like she has become the MOTHER to “her” family.

You see, when I first starting dating Amy she lost her mom in a car accident. Now her 2 sisters have little kids of their own and a lot of times they call Amy for motherly advice. Her sisters are great mothers, but sometimes they need a little advice on what do to, so they call Amy.

So…

….to my mom (Sandy) and my grandmother (Lorraine) and my wife, Amy.

Happy Mother’s Day!