MoMmY nEeDsA mAi-tAi !!!

Chaotic Mom is having a contest! She wants to know why we are thankful for our mothers, or those who are LIKE mothers to us. Or we can tell her why we are thankful TO BE mothers. Since I have 10 billion reasons to be thankful for my Grandma, who I call Mama, because she raised me, I dedicate this post to her. Unfortunately at this time, I have no pictures of her to add to this post, but, all you have to do is picture, in your head, love and graciousness; warmth and harmony, and there she is...


Lets start at the beginning. My Mama adopted my mom on the day she was born. My mother was very young when she had me. (barely 15) She was still in school, still living at home and being a child herself. I'm not saying that some young mothers dont do the best that they can, but my mom chose to leave the care of me to my Mama.
From the time I came home from the hospital, I slept in mama and papa's room. Mama rocked me, fed me, changed me and loved me unconditionally. You may be asking, what's so special about that? She and Papa were already raising six daughters of their own. Mama was 40 when I was born and should have had her own kids about raised and ready to be on their own. Not taking care of a newborn.
Years went by, my mother turned 19, got pregnant again and this time she got married. From the get go my stepfather hated me. I was four years old and I was in the way I guess. So back I went to Mama and Papa. When I was seven, my mom decided she wanted another go at being my mom. She had recently divorced and was dating another man. I went back to live with her. Not because I wanted to, but because Mama thought that maybe she would start acting like a mom. It didnt happen. This time it lasted until I was 9. I couldnt handle being with my mom. I wont go into all the things that I had to go through, but I will say it was the best decision I ever made to go back home to mama.
By this time, all my aunts had moved out on their own, so I was Mama and Papa's only kid. I was SPOILED! (Still am, but shhh!!) They loved me and took care of me and spoiled me, and in turn, I was a good kid, did my chores, got good grades... Then we moved to Georgia, in 1996. We rented a small house with a huge yard and a beautiful waterfall. We were the picture of happiness. Then the unimaginable struck. Mama was diagnosed with cervical cancer in early 1997. Thank God they caught it before it spread. They were able to take care of it with 30 radiation treatments and 2 radiation implants. She came through it wonderfully.
In October of 1998, my mom calls. She has decided that she cant handle my sister, can she come to georgia and live with us? So what does Mama and Papa do? Pack us up and go to Florida to bring back my sister. She was 12. What did Mama and Papa not know? She was pregnant. So now, it's me, Mama, Papa, and pregnant sister. Sister wants to quit school, but mama and papa wouldnt hear of it.
June 11, 1999. Sister gives birth to bouncing baby boy (Chad) and decides that she wants NO responsibility for THAT! So again, the raising of a newborn child is left to Mama. But Mama isnt 40 anymore. She was 58. I was raised. I was 18. I was still living at home, but I was fending for myself, I didnt have to depend on Mama for everything. But I had to help raise a baby, because I could see that Mama wasnt able to do everything like she used to. (Dont get me wrong, I loved helping raise Chad!) When Chad was 2, Mama and Papa officially adopted Chad. Sister asked them to.
Well, now Chad is 7. Sister is married and has 2 more children. Chad is a very happy, and very spoiled little boy. Mama is 65 and has just recovered from breast cancer. She was diagnosed last november (1 year ago). She went through chemotherapy, lost all her hair, and had a double mascectomy (sp?). She (again) has recovered beautifully and is very ready for the holiday season :) I know this might sound like a bunch of senseless rambling to some, but I'm not the best with words, and I just had to get out how special this woman is to me. She is my rock. My best friend.
This post is not even a tip of the iceberg compared to all the great things that she's done in her life. She has adopted 3 children (my mom, my aunt, and chad) and took sole custody of me. She invited a teenage boy into her home off the streets (referred to as Uncle Mikey), he is still part of the family today. I was 6 months old when he came to live with our family. Before she married my papa, she had been in an abusive marriage for 21 years, so she divorced and raised 4 daughters on her own for 4 years. When she married papa, he brought 2 more daughters for her to raise. She's been through cancer twice. And all I can say is ThankYou God for my Mama.


I love you Mama :)

This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 15, 2006 at 11/15/2006 11:42:00 PM. You can skip to the end and leave a response.