My mother is an amazing lady. She has always bent over backwards to take care of me and my 2 brothers. In all she does you can tell that her family is her number one priority. I look up to her and strive to be like her.

She began her journey of motherhood early, marrying my biological father at 19 and having her first child, my older brother at 21. Being 21 now, I can’t imagine being that young and being thrust into so much responsibility. At 23, 18 months after her first child she gave birth to me. Shortly after, things fell apart between her and my biological father, and she met a man who would adopt me and become my father. Another child was soon to come along completing the family.

The marriage continued for about 6 years until they decided to get a divorce. Again my mother was left to her own devices, this time with 3 children. Over the next several years she struggled as a single mother; the true heroes in our society. We didn’t have much growing up but we got by. Looking back at it now, I don’t know how she did it. I guess God doesn’t give us anything we can’t handle. Being on my own for the first time in my life and struggling as it is without kids I can’t even imagine what life was like for her. I remember her working so hard for minimum wage at temporary factory jobs. She never complained. She rarely got thanked. In fact, what she got was complaints about why we had to shop at Zeller’s for clothes.

My mother has since reconciled with my father, a blessing to both of them. It is funny how sometimes roads branch at one point and converge at another. My mother always made sure we had clothes on our back even if it meant going without herself. She would go without sleep if it meant spending time with us. I can’t even begin to thank her for all that she has done for me and my brothers.

I love you Mom