As my 20th birthday approaches and I enter adulthood, I appreciate my mom more than ever. People seem to love to ask the 10 year question and I can't help but think that in 10 years, I will be about the same age my mom was when she was pregnant with my older sister.
This past weekend, I held a friend's 2 month old baby and thought about what an honor it would be to be responsible for a tiny innocent human being (in 10 years, of course). I can only hope that one day, I'll be half as good of a mother as my mom is to me. Here are 10 ways in which I hope I will be like her:
1. She has always been there.
My mom has always been a constant source of support. When I was left out of my friend's surprise birthday party in middle school, she was there. When I was nervous about applying to college, she let me apply to five safety schools. I can always count on her to be there for me when I'm having an awful day or just need someone to listen. My mom never fails to tell me that she loves me. My mom is a nurturer. She is always there to hug me and tell me everything will be okay.
2. She's honest.
My mom doesn't lie to me. If I ask her if a dress is unflattering, she will tell me. When I showed her a pair of pull on jeggings at Old Navy, she didn't forget to tell me they reminded her of maternity pants. On a more serious note, I know I can count on her to give me honest advice when I need help.
3. She does things because they make me happy.
My mom is willing to do something that she knows is important to me. She will go see a movie with me that I've been looking forward to for months, even though she thinks it's stupid. She'll take a selfie in Bath & Body Works when she's at the mall without me because she knows it's one of my favorite stores, even though she can't stand scented lotion. She uses emojis because she knows they make me smile.
4. She works hard.
No matter what is going on in her life, my mom has always kept up with her license as a clinical social worker. She's attended CEU (certified education credits) classes when my sister and I were little and never failed to do what she loves. She kept up with her graduate degree right after she gave birth to me.
5. She has strong friendships.
My mom has a solid circle of friends who she knows she can count on. She only keeps positive people in her life and doesn't stand for people who aren't true friends. She is compassionate and always supportive.
Thanks Mom. I love you. I'm sorry I was a moody teenager who yelled a lot. Looking back, I don't know how you dealt with me.
