Well-Learned Lessons

10 Things I Learned From My Mother

1. Creative ways to fix long hair.  Though my mother has had short hair for the majority of her life, she loves long hair and always wanted me to wear mine that way which was perfectly fine with this girly girl. 

 I have to admit though I was a pretty high maintenance little girl, wanting to wear it a different way every day.  One day it was french braided, then pigtails, then a ponytail to the side, a small braid in the front...

I don't know how she tolerated my grumpy little diva self so early each and every morning before school and work but, God bless her, she did and I still love to get creative with my hair to this day. 

2. How to do birthdays up right. There were always presents to unwrap, candles to blow out, and cake to eat. 

3. To stand up for myself and for my children. "Nobody puts Baby in a corner." 

4. That health insurance is very important and that one should never, ever be without it.  And I never have been. 

5. How to balance a checkbook.  I've never been a math whiz but balance a checkbook properly and to the penny, I can do.  

6. The importance of treating all people kindly and with respect.  A smile, a please, or a thank you can go a long way.  I'm not as extroverted as my mother but I do know how to do this and try my hardest not to ever hurt anyone's feelings.

7. How to see the best in people.  I have rarely known my mother to have an unkind word to say about anyone. 

8. Not to get "too big for my britches". And I'm not talking about weight here. There were times in my life when I started thinking my poop didn't stink and she was quick to remind me that it indeed does and that I'm no better than anyone else. We are all equally precious in God's eyes.

9. It is never too late to find your true calling. After years of doing office/administrative work, she discovered (in her 60's) a love for teaching when she became a substitute teacher.  I've never known her to love doing anything more and the teachers and kids love her just as much as she loves them. 

10. A positive attitude makes all the difference in the world.   My mother had a very mysterious health scare last summer.  She was finally diagnosed with a rare from of vasculitis, Wegener's Granulomatosis, and spent nearly 3 weeks in the hospital.

She lost a lot of her vision, along with much of the feeling in her hands and feet and can no longer drive, but I've never heard her complain. 

Instead, she is miraculously back on facebook daily reminding everyone to keep their chins up and remember their smiles.  And, she recently went back to subbing.  She is an inspiration to so many and I could not be more proud to call myself her daughter. 

She is also the number one fan of this blog so Thanks, Mom!  I Love You!