Happy Mother's Day

My mom is no longer with us, I feel her almost every day looking down on me--sometimes guiding me in my decisions as she always did.  I've spoken about my mom recently -- her birthday in March, but I feel the need to recognize some of the other moms in my life today. 
Growing up my best friend Ann lived behind us, our backyards abutted each other.  Her mom was my other mom--Lorraine would say "One of you would lie and the other would swear to it"  we laughed but it was true.  She would discipline me right along with Ann.  She was my first taste of foods from other countries--her husband was of middle eastern descent and she made some of those foods,  at the time I just wondered why my mom never made those things, but they weren't part of her or my dads heritage but then we had things that Ann didn't.  
When I was a newlywed the first time (30 yrs ago tomorrow) we were Army.   Shortly after Rob was born we were moved from Ft Campbell,KY to Ft. Wainwright, Alaska.  Here I was with an 8 month old on the other side of the country.  Donna became my friend and helper.  She was mom to 2 boys of her own.  We have remained friends through all the years and all the moves.  She used to joke that Rob looked more like her--it was the red hair.  Her oldest is now career Army following in dads footsteps.  Her granddaughter is just a bit older than Shannon and has a head full of red hair.  What a great mom/grandmother she is. 
Then there's my friend Julie, no one surpasses her in courage.  Diagnosed with breast cancer when her youngest was in elementary school.  She fought against the disease, resolved she would live to see him graduate.  She made that goal, but by then she had ovarian cancer....she saw her only daughter married, and the birth of her first grandchild.  Her last gift to me -- the week she died was a plaque I PROUDLY hang in my livingroom that says "Every time a child is born ..... so is a Grandmother"   She was there with me through Rob's teenage years, the Army, being deployed and more.  We laughed and cried and bolstered each other on some very dark days. 
There are a lot of moms who have been by my side when I needed them.  Some for short periods of time, some for longer. But they all have contributed to the kind of mom I am.  Each are specal for reasons they may not even know. I've only mentioned a couple because there isn't anyway to mention them all. 
My mom was a tough love kind of mom, but she would do anything for us that she could.  She raised 4 kids while my dad worked 2 and sometimes 3 jobs to make ends meet.  That was their choice, made early in their marriage after I ended up in the hospital very ill from being at a babysitters while she worked.  She didn't work again outside the home till my youngest brother was in school and then it was part time.  We had chores every day--clean our rooms, dishes, help with housework on Saturdays, the boys had outside chores.  We all helped with the garden she planted every summer -- my friend Ann used to call us the migrant workers, when we had to weed every Saturday morning through the summer in order to be allowed to go play.  She loved us and made sure we knew right from wrong.  She demanded and got respect from us.  We butted heads more than once, but she always was there with her words of wisdom.  Her love shines still to this day.  HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY MOM, I MISS YOU.

Happy Mother's Day to all my fellow bloggers and friends.