mama's day post

Hello everyone. Happy Saturday. I am so excited that it's the weekend and I hope you are too. Tonight I get to go to a minor league baseball game with my family... and what a great family it is. Not an aunt, uncle, cousin or otherwise that I am not ever stoked to see. Particularly, I'm excited about seeing my cousin Jenn. She and I have been friends/known each other since my mom and my (now) aunt (named) cheryle (I never call her aunt cheryle. rarely) have been friends, since I was a toddler. Cheryle married Uncle John, and hank goodness, both are now officially family (although, I wish there was a recognition of honorary members. James Barnes for one. Anyway...).

This is a mother's day post and I will be talking about my amazing mama. First, let me say that my papa, Carl, deserves some kudos too. He came in a little late in the game, about 1/5 the way into my current year count (although according to stephen hawking and common sense longer given the proportion to life lived then versus now.) Carl was always willing to be a loving father, even as I was unwilling to be his daughter. He's a good man. Moving on...

My mama is a badass. She is a creative genius. So, before I met her, before I was born, she used to fight forest fires. I like this detail. I know that she had a life before us, and I especially like thinking that she was so brave and tough and hung out with cool fellas in the forest fighting crime... okay so I added that last part. I didn't like the way that her "hanging out with cool fellas in the forest" sounded. However, I like the concept. I love the idea of her being a lady equal to all of those dudes, just a badass chick, hanging out, doing exactly what they did. anyway,

My mama became a mother before my age, and had my sister and I at my age. it was rough I'm sure. Add too that, she ended up being a single mother (because she is our biggest advocate, takin' no bullshit), and she made it work. My brother and my sister and I are all relatively normal and well adjusted. My brother and my sister are cooler than I am, but what are you gonna do?

My mom and I did not have the best relationship as I was growing up. They said I was the "challenge". I don't always agree with the history, but I understand it. I was difficult, we fought, we've moved on aka my parents have forgiven me for being shitty and I have attempted to reconcile that they are human beings.

My mom has transformed their house. it's incredible. We moved multiple times as I was growing up (it's called upward mobility bitches!), and my parents eventually bought a track house. Well, let me tell you, A. Lago doesn't sew, she doesn't sit and rest on her laurels, she transforms. what was a normal, blah house is now a work of art. it's taken about 15 years, but my mom feels she has gotten it just the way she wants it. I'm trying to figure out how to tell this. So, she is the type of lady who just can't sit through a movie. She will be ironing, or fall asleep, or what have you. She likes to stay busy (hence, the sleeping on down time). She sews beautiful things in the back patio, I have a blanket and a quilt that she has made for me that I will treasure forever. The house!

My mom, like most of the people in my family, is a civil servant. Teachers, public employees, that's the family. Having three kids young and going back to school as a single mom does not translate into $$$ for quite some time. Luckily, my mom is an incredibly hard worker (she deserves everything she gets!). Anyway, the house. I love my parents house, as it is an absolute labor of love. The front yard, can I even describe this? it used to be a lawn and some trees. I miss the trees now that they're gone, but they were dead and I'm not a homeowner, so let it go lady. The front yard is an amazing, amazing garden, with flowers and produce. The back yard is the same. My mom tried to have chickens (named after characters from "I Love Lucy') but the stupid county declined, even with her huge backyard and fancy coop... I've lived in a neighboring county where people house chickens in much less posh digs.

I would come home from school when my mom had the day off and she would have painted the living room. A cheap way to change things she says. She has personally (enlisting family help) pulled up the carpet and put in faux wooden floors all over the house. She has transformed every room. She has laid brick in the back yard and etc. This is all while working full time and the majority while having 3 to 4 to 5 unruly children (a most 1 or 2 were actually unruly).

My mom is a good daughter. Unlike my mama and I, who had to come to an understanding, my mom has always (from what nana says) been a great daughter. Now nana lives about a mile away and my mom does so much for her. nana still does so much for the family (saying that I feel like I'm in the mafia. with reverse sexism) too. Speaking of, I really do feel like my mom holds things together. I have a big family (thank goodness and hallelujah!) and they are all great people. I feel like my mom is the main communicator/joiner of people.

What else? My mom always listens. And we talk. I tell her things that she doesn't want to hear (but I don't swear or talk about intimate relations. that would be weird).

Basically, my mom is wonderful. She has been a friend to all of our friends, especially those who were having trouble at home. She loves to feed people, she's funny, she has great taste in music. There is the unfortunate tendency to no recognize how cool your own parents are. I still act like a glum teenager sometimes when I go home. It's partially because I feel like I can be a big turd; one of my few safe spots. Unconditional love; don't f*ck it up! (oxymoron.)

That's all.