Remembering My Mom

In honor of Mother's day on Sunday I wanted to get all personal and talk about my mom.
The first thing I will say is that I am adopted, and the second thing I'll say is that it really did not impact my life or relationship with my mom. I never wished I knew my biological parents or felt at all inadequate about it.

My mom died of breast cancer on October 12, 2004, she was my best friend and hero. I miss her every single day, especially now that I have children of my own. I don't talk about her to my husband (they never met), friends, or family. I'm still too sad. I think about her always and try to honor her in my own way, by being the best mother that I can, and living my life in a way I hope makes her proud. I don't even want to sit here and talk about her passing, she was an amazing person and I just want to tell anyone that may ever read this about a wonderful person that truly lived her life for others.

My mom and I had a great relationship, we had a ritual of watching jeopardy followed by the Yankees game every night. We lived in Orlando, so whenever the Yanks were in-town (playing Tampa) we went to games, shopped, ate, and had a blast. She was always positive and made everyone around her feel special, loved, and important. She was originally from New York, born and raised, so she obviously had a great sense of humor!
My mom could not cook, I think I learned to cook, solely because she was so bad at it. I just couldn't take eating her food any longer. She wasn't big on cleaning either. She was too busy to be concerned with all that boring domestic stuff. She adored her New York Giants and Yankees, her kids, her family. We shopped and went to lunch more times than I can count, I told my mom everything, she never judged, she was always supportive. I never had to question her love for me it was evident in every single thing that she did.

When she got sick, I got to see a glimpse of who she was beyond being just "my mom." The support she received when she got sick was overwhelming. Her friends and colleagues were around constantly. They lent so much support to our family, had people cleaning our house, bringing us dinner, staying with us and my mom round the clock. It was amazing and I am forever grateful.

My mom's spirit was unbreakable, she was the strongest, and most strong willed person I've ever known. To have known her in any capacity was truly an honor. She touched the lives of every person she met. I will try to raise my kids with some of the characteristics that came so naturally to her and if they grow up to be just like her, I would consider that a success.

On Mother's Day and every other day I honor the person that knew me best. I hope the disease that she could not beat will become a thing of the past in my children's generation.

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