#Bossmom

Everyone has always said I was my mother's mini me. My older sister takes more after my dad and his side of the family. Me, I am all mama's side. Put some glasses on me and you can really tell, especially in pictures of when she was younger. I have also always shared birthdays with my mom. You do not realize the significance of that as a child, but I do not remember birthday cakes and presents for her growing up. It was not until I was a little older myself that I realized what sharing a birthday with your child can mean for mom. It is like I had all the celebration around me when I was younger and she was in the background. As I have gotten older we truly share the day we celebrate.

Technically her birthday is the day before mine; obviously different years. She likes to joke that I was determined to make her eat her words because she stated she did not want to give birth after she was 30; I came the day after she was 31. My aunt, mom's younger sister, was not too happy with the day I was born either, because her birthday is the day before my mother’s. She had held out hope that I would share her birthday. Instead I share her name, as my middle name. This actually brings up a decent point that my mother has had to share the time around her birthday with someone else close to her for a good portion of her birthdays.

My mom and dad help keep my youngest son. They share the week off and on with my in laws also, so it is not back to back days during the week. They all do a great job with him, but I think it is these influences that have given my 8 year old such a huge vocabulary and have him sounding like a little old man. He will even talk politics with you if you are not careful.

My mother is the reason I headed to work for the county. Her and my dad were both county workers all my life growing up and they taught me that benefits are very important in where you decide to work, especially if you choose to have a family. I saw them both work hard to make sure our family was covered by insurance and so that one day they could retire. Now I am reaping the benefit of them being home. I hope to one day have enough work time in so that I can offer the same free babysitting service for my own grand babies.

My mother is my prayer warrior. When something is seriously concerning or worrying me, it is her I call first. Sometimes she basically tells me to pull up my big girl panties and deal. Sometimes she gives me a specific scripture to refer back to throughout the trial I'm currently going through. Either way I usually get off the phone or leave her home feeling like I have been able to decompress and I can leave that cliff edge that I was headed towards. She helps remind me whose child I am (not just her's and dad's) and that I can bring all things to the throne room in prayer.

I am a direct product of the parenting I received as a child and the guidance I receive as an adult. I believe I have the same caring heart of my mother, but also that strong backbone that comes out when I believe an injustice has occurred. I can be a true mother bear over my babies and I believe I have that honest because I can think of many times when the mother bear in her rose up to deal with an issue.

In short, I believe my mother is truly a #bossmom and because of her, I am trying to take steps to make my own way in this world and be a #bossmom too!