Ok, so I know it's past Mother's Day... but so much went on this weekend, I didn't post anything about my mom. So, here is my tribute to my mother:

My mom married my dad after finding out they were pregnant. She was 14. For the longest time, I thought that I was an accident, an unplanned pregnancy, the reason my mom married my dad so young. As teen, my mom finally told me the truth. She and my dad purposely got pregnant so they could get married. OHHH, the stupidity of first loves! Anyway, Mom and Dad didn't have the best marriage. My dad seen other women, which eventually made my mom look elsewhere. My mom worked at a chicken plant, my dad didn't. He didn't even watch me! Mom had to get a babysitter for me, even though my didn't work. How crazy is that? Anyway, about 4 years after my birth, my sister was born. Shortly after that, mom and dad got divorced. Feeling we needed a father, my mom married the next guy who came along... and she was even crazier this time. She married an abusive man this time, but she loved him. So, feeling he was hitting her because of something she had done, she ended up saying SHE was sorry! This went on for years. I was in school at this time, but my little sister wasn't. She seen a lot more than I did. In fact, it caused her to have a nervous disorder and she had to go see a shrink. Finally my mom opened her eyes and left him. Praise God. Women, if you are being abused, it is not your fault, and it will happen again, and your children see a lot more than you think and it does affect them...get out now, no matter how much you love him! Anyway... mom feels we still need a father.. so she marries again! This time, the marriage causes us to move out of state, away from the only school I'd ever known. But, we got two step-brothers. That was good. One was my age, the other my sister's age. And, my new step-grandpa was a Baptist pastor. So I got to go to church. I got saved in the third grade... it was awesome. I felt like a family with them. But, that marriage did't last either and we were moving back to Alabama... where I start back to my old school after 3 years. But all ended up ok. Mom never had support from my dad. Never did he pay child support or anything. She never had a good husband to help work and support the family. She did it all. And, although she thought these stand-in fathers were what we needed, we didn't. But she did what she thought was best for us. And she did her best to tell us right from wrong... I love my mother for being brave enough to stand up for herself and for us. I love her for providing for us. We were poor, but I never knew it. We always had what we needed and most of what we wanted. Now, mom has gotten her GED and she works for a lawyer's office. She is a great mom... she supports me and encourages me. She is a great grandma... my kids love her dearly. I thank God of placing me in the family I have. Sure, we have had our problems, but we see eachother through the hard times. Thank you, God, for my mother.