MAMA!

My mom is coming up today! I'm so excited!

I love my mom. I went through a phase from 8th grade to freshman year where I didn't really care for parents in general. I was just a little hooligan. I started skipping class freshman year. I'd stay in the choir room for 2 then 3 periods a day. Why, you ask? No good reason really. I was skipping Algebra and Biology. My two most hated subjects. I've never been a math or science wiz, so I decided I'd be in choir for half of the day. The choir director would ask if I had to be in class, but never really pressed on the issue. My Algebra teacher finally sent one of my friends that was also in the class to come get me.

That's when I started going back, but I had also already been in trouble for skipping one too many times.

My mom decided that she would transfer me to Father Ryan. She started working there when I was in 1st grade. She was one of the guidance counselors there. So on day during the spring semester of my freshman year, she took me with her to work. I went around with a girl named Brandy Baltz. She was in choir there and my mom knew I'd be doing that too, so she thought she'd set me up with her so we could become friends.

It was very strange. First of all, I had never been to a private school. Second, especially not a Catholic school. I'm definitely a Free Will Baptist girl, through and through. I dreaded having to transfer my sophomore year. I hated my mom for making me. The first couple weeks at school during lunch, I'd get mine and bring it to the office and eat with my mom. Aside from Brandy, I didn't know ANYONE. And I didn't even know her that well. But we did end up having a couple of classes together.

One day she invited me to a sleepover her friend was having. My mom was a little reluctant to let me go because the girl that was hosting wasn't exactly the best apple in the bunch.

But she agreed. And I will forever be indebted to her. At this sleepover, I met Rachel. Who, by the way, thought I was stuck up on first impression. But really, I was just so shy. We quickly bonded. And we've been best friends ever since.

My mom and I haven't always seen eye to eye, but she's always been happy that Rachel and I became friends.

After I got married, we started a new phase in our relationship. It's still very much mother/daughter. But we can definitely be friends. I have a whole new respect for her after going through 5 years of not-so-perfect wedded bliss. And the funny thing is, she's more of a mother than ever to me.

When I had Theona, it was overwhelming. I was having a hard time breastfeeding, so I was pumping all the time. One night, probably at the end of the first week having her home, we had people over. My dad, Cheryl (ex-stepmom), Amy, Neal, and Rachel were all over. Which was great because I love all of them. But I was a new mom and very frustrated by the fact that I couldn't just breastfeed her like a normal mother. We lived in a two bed, one bath apartment so there weren't a lot of places I could go to do this. For some reason I couldn't go into Theona's room and Neal and Loren were playing video games in our bedroom. I ended up going into our walk-in closet and sat on the floor to pump. Loren did come in there and let me know that they would leave the bedroom so I could do it in there.

But I was just so emotional and couldn't keep the tears in. I broke down. And even though I had Rachel and my sister there, the only person I wanted to talk to was my mom. So I called her, in tears, and told her the situation. She calmed me down and told me that I needed to make sure everyone knew that I'd need time to pump and do all those motherly things. I got off the phone with her feeling ten times better. I pumped the milk, and then let someone feed Theona the bottle.

It's crazy to think back on that time. I don't think I'd have that same reaction now. I'd be much more prepared, and I'd speak my mind. Back then, I just wanted to make sure that my family got as much time with Theona as possible since I was with her all day long. But I know now that sometimes you have to be selfish as the mother of a newborn.

I can't imagine what my life would be like without my mom. She's amazing!