Like Mother, Like Daughter

When I was growing up, I would say we would have been considered lower middle class .. a blue collar family. (Weren't most of us in the 70's?) My dad worked as a plumber with my grandfather, making very little, and my mom had a home daycare so that she could stay home with us. She made $5 per day per child and I remember when she was afraid she wuld lost kids when she raised her rates to $6 per day per child. Can you even imagine??? We pay that per hour to a teenager now! In order to make ends meet my mom cared for a lot of kids. According to her state licensing she was allowed to keep a total of 10 kids, with 2 being under the age of 2, PLUS her own three kids, PLUS any relatives. At most times she had a total of 15 kids in our 1500 square foot house (if it was even that big). And she had a waiting list. She never had a day off, that I can remember, and we never went on vacations beyond a weekend because of her committment to the children.

When I was in college my mom needed to take one day off to get her wisdom teeth pulled. I skipped school that day and came home and took care of all of the kids. I remember vividly saying to my mom, after that day, that I would rather be on welfare than to do that every day. First of all, I have never aplogized to my mother, who sacrificed who knows what to stay home and care for us, for saying something so insensitive and rude. So, mom, I am sorry I degraded your line of work. Being a stay-at-home mom now, I know first-hand the value of that career and the undervaluing it receives from society. Thank you for putting your kids first in a day and age when it was not done by many.

As you grow older, most people will tell you that you become more and more like your mother. That, to me, is a compliment. I hope I look and feel half as good as my mom when I am her age. I have a law degree and always thought I would be a career woman. But my favorite job is being a wife and mother. And, starting today, I'm following in my mother's footsteps. Here any minute my twin (almost) 3 year old girls will be arriving. I will be caring for Brynne's friends, Morgan and Makenna, on Mondays and Wednesdays starting today. Three, 3-year old blonde girls ... oh my!! But I am really looking forward to it! It's amazing how my attitudes have changed now that I have my own kids.

Thank you, mom, for instilling a desire in me to be a good mom, not only to my own kids but to other's kids as well.

And speaking of babies, my baby brother, Tim is 29 years old today! I still think of him has being 3!! Seriously!! Happy Birthday Tim!!