My Mom

So thankful that she gave birth to me even when she became pregant at the age of 20 and my father was just 19; even while in middle of her college education.

Even though their marriage ended in divorce when I was seven, I am thankful that through financial trials and hardships that she never made us feel poor and I can't remember hearing her complain even while she worked full time as a preschool teacher and at times, worked two part time jobs so that we could live in decent housing, eat decent food, even providing for my sister and I to take dance lessons.

I am grateful that she introduced me to frugal living and gardening and that she would make our Halloween costumes each year using what we could find.

So thankful that she would take my sister and I camping during the summer - just the three of us.

My mother's attitude when hitting a road block was always - "ok, if we can't do it this way, let's figure out a different way to make it work." This has stuck with me through my life.

Although our relationship during my teenage years was rough, I am thankful that we are now very close friends. Even now when we live a five hour drive away from one another, and we don't see each other as often as we would like, just knowing that she is a phone call away is comforting.

Thank you Mom, I love you.

Love, Tonya

And Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms.