Happy Mother’s Day!

I was a difficult pre-teen/teenager. I wasn’t into anything bad or harmful, but my attitude stunk like rotten eggs blending with sour milk. Like, it was bad.

No one took a harsher beating than my mother. She should’ve had my mouth surgically sewn shut- but she didn’t. We bickered and snapped and yelled and forced my dad to take shelter in his bedroom on more than one occasion.

We certainly didn’t like each other most of the time… but my mom has always loved me. And in hindsight, I love her even more for that. (Seriously, I was a little sh*t.) Of course, my mother is no saint- she’s as volatile as me with a hankering for nagging- but she taught me all the important stuff and made me who I am. Now, as a grown, married, 24-year old daughter, we get along pretty well.

. . .

Dear Mom,

When I was younger I thought you told me “no” a lot. No, you can’t go out with your friends at 10pm. No, we’re not going to let you drink alcohol at home with us. No, you can’t take a trip with your friends. No, you don’t need a new car. No, you can’t sleep in- we’re going to church. No, no, no.

Sometimes you didn’t say anything, even though you wanted to say “no.” You didn’t say anything about my insane first boyfriend. You didn’t say anything about my questionable friends. You didn’t say anything about the college I should attend or the instrument I should play or the color I dyed my hair… even though you definitely had opinions on all that.

But sometimes you said “yes.” And those “yes”s changed my life.

Yes, you may go get ice cream with your friend Kyle. (That was April 16, 2007. That was our first date because you said yes, even though it was a school night and it was already 8pm.)

Yes, you can bring that dog home. (Lylee will never know how much she owes to you. Thank you for letting us bring home our fur baby.)

Yes, we will pay for your college education. (I don’t even need to explain how lucky I am to have you (and dad) financially supporting my education.)

Yes, yes, yes.

Now I call you on a Friday night to see if you want to hang out. Now I think about what a fabulous grandma you’ll make someday. Now I look back and think that the best gift you gave me was my baby brother. Now I can’t imagine being raised by another other woman.

Thank God for Mom. Happy Mother’s Day, Elsie! I love you.

. . .

Happy Mother’s Day to my mom and my mother-in-law.

Happy Mother’s Day to my grandmothers and the great-grandmothers out there.

Happy Mother’s Day to foster moms, step-moms, and “moms.”

Happy Mother’s Day to all the new moms I know- especially my best friend, Erica!

Happy Mother’s Day to moms that have lost a child or are fighting to have a child.

Happy Mother’s Day to the dads that fill the role of “mom.”

Happy Mother’s Day, y’all.

-Louise