It was one year ago today when my mom underwent the procedure that led to irreparable brain damage and ultimately ended her life on March 2, 2013. This is another hard day in what has been a hard year. Rather than focus on the bad, the sad or the depressing thoughts that I have spent entirely too much time on already, I wanted to commemorate this day with the happier ideas that would make her smile.
Reasons my mom was the coolest…
1. She taught me all the cheers she used to do in school that had, like NO business being real cheers. For example; “U-G-L-Y you ain’t got no alibi”… or “my back is aching, my skirt’s too tight, my hips are shaking from left to right”… and my personal favorite, “now hush, you don’t want none of us.” You thought these were just in movies, right? Well according to her, they used to do these in actual games. Bring It On, D.C. Catholic School edition…
2. She was the only person in the world who could tolerate my father.
3. She didn’t get angry that time in 8th grade when I got mad and threw chicken nuggets across the room and they got stuck in the Venetian blinds. Now that I’m a parent, I know the appropriate response in that situation is a mule-kick to the throat.
4. She sincerely believed that the ideas, dreams and plans that my siblings and I had were accomplishable, reasonable and just all-around great. Even the vague ones like, “I’m going to be rich,” or the not-well-thought-out ones like, “I want to get my three tiny kids a puppy.”
5. Did I mention she could tolerate my father? Because that is seriously commendable.
6. She always let us sleep in her bed when we were scared. Again, as a parent, I now realize that unnecessary and prolonged sleep deprivation = unconditional love.
7. She could NEVER stay awake during any movie, and watching her performance-style nodding off on the couch was always more entertaining than the actual movie.
8. When I would call and tell her about what embarrassing thing the boys did in public that made me look like a horrible mother, she would assure me that it was completely normal, and I could still expect the boys to grow into productive, contributing members of society one day.
9. Even though I thought I didn’t want her in the delivery room during the birth of my first child, she invited herself in anyway, and now I am so thankful for the memory.
10. I used to be able to call her and list random ingredients from my freezer and pantry, and she would come up with a complete dinner menu.
11. She loved me tremendously and everyone needs someone in their life that loves them like that.
Bonus: I don’t think I can stress enough how difficult my father is to deal with. I mean, sure, she picked him, but good grief.