June 14, 1988, I was born weighing six pounds and fourteen ounces. I was my mother's second child and now I am one of eight children. She will tell you today that I am most certainly her most stubborn one, truly living up to all the tales of red-headed girls with freckles. I was also the child that became an adult before I was ready. Being outnumbered, my parents needed help especially mom. Daddy had to work a lot to provide food and shelter. My parents would say my intelligence could speak volumes of the places I could soar just as long as I spread my wings.

All parents should take a class in Love and Logic. It provides basic, easily implemented skills to stop a child dead in their tracks, especially teens. My husband and I are both educators; we enrolled and attended a week-long training and walked away with the necessary skills we needed to torment any teen. As we practiced them with our daughter at home, we knew they were working when she raised her voice to rant, "I hate it when you take those classes!" and proceeded to stomp out of the room.

Where would we be without our mothers . I know I feel lost many times a day without Mine . Mum passed away mid 2019 from dementia related causes . But that was after she had lived a life so well that when she had no more to give she slowly retired into herself because I think she had already left us in her mind.

It was the summer before first grade, in a deserted, hot parking lot. That parking lot just so happened to be my school’s, River Springs Elementary. I had just learned to ride a bike without training wheels the day before and I was actually pretty good at it for learning the day before.

This method was de facto born given the context of the recently discovered bacteria. It, thus, argued that this was to downplay body contacts that might have, in all likelihood, transmitted diseases to children. Not until recently has this sparked controversy, since leaving children crying it out might breed negative psychological effects and later health impairments.

28th May 2020

Where do I start? Let me say that my dad is always there for me. Whether in good times or in bad times. He is even there for me when I need help. From playing choo-choo train to my room and tucking me in my bed at night and keeping the boogieman away so that I could sleep, to going with me to my competitions. He was my cheerleader. He always showed me love and support. Helped me with homework when I didn't understand it.

Here we go.

The part that no one can tell you how you’re supposed to feel, what you’re supposed to do. What the right thing to do is. What you need to do.

Food fuels us with energy to function, enhances the immune and disease prevention systems, consociates us, thus, leaning our lives towards the positive.

There has been nothing easy about the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. We are all struggling and what I'm about to tell you, I am sure many of you have experienced as well. In March, I had been furloughed from my job as a waitress. I have had to apply for unemployment. I am living with my parents (though I now jokingly say they live with me and just happen to pay for everything). I am single with little social life, and even less now as the majority of my friends live in other states. I have done the best I can to remain in contact with them thanks to social media and online game nights, but they do not compare to the real thing of being with them in person.

I have been a mom for almost 7 months now, well 16 if you count the time my daughter was in my belly. In my short time being a mom, I am just beginning to understand some ways my own mom must have felt. And so Mom, here's a letter for you.