Happy Mother's Day

I apologize that I am even later in posting this week than normal. It really has been a crazy week!

First I wanted to say Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful mothers out there. My mother passed away when I was 13, but my stepmother has been in my life since I was 14 years old. We have had our ups and downs, but I love her and both her and my father are coming to my graduation at the end of May.

My oldest sister is pregnant and has the sweetest 2 year old you will ever meet, and my middle sister has 6 kids, 4 that have been adopted into our loving family and 2 others that were foster kids but that they still get to share some time with.

My stepsister, also has 6 kids that have been adopted into our family. I have a family of amazing mothers, mothers who step in when other mothers refuse or can't do the job, mothers who love their kids and want the best for them, mothers who make mistakes but are not to ashamed to admit they are human too.

Mother's day has always been hard for me though because I miss my mom. My Stepmom has never tried to get me to call her mom, which I am thankful for, but she has been in my life longer than I was able to have my own mother in my life, but I hold a fondness and love for both of these women. My mother shaped my heart, and character, and my Stepmother gave me room to grow and be myself even though she was now the mother of 5 instead of the mother of 2.

I have many inspirational stories of people I know who are mothers. One of my best friends in Florida, saw that her cousin couldn't take care of her kids. She had 3 little boys and all of them were split up into different foster homes. She fought very hard to get them to stay in the family and took them in and was able to adopt them. Her cousin ended up having another baby girl who was also taken away, and she is currently fighting custody for her as well. NOW these are people who just inspire me. I have a life full of inspirational people all around me. Sometimes I forget to see their struggles when I am going through my own, but on Mother's Day these women should be thanked, and just blessed. I personally think they deserve more then one day though.

I hope you all remember to say thank you to the mothers in your life. And a mother does not have to be the one who birthed you, but can be the one who has been the mother figure in your life. The saying "It takes a village to raise a child" is very true and I know that I have many women in my life who are  like mothers to me. So don't forget to thank those women.

I will try not to be so late on the next blog!

Serena