5.12.2008

Why I Am Who I Am

How do I write about the women who have molded my life and do them justice? There aren't enough words, poems, cards or days to express my thankfulness to the "mothers" that God has blessed me with. Each of them have helped create the person that I am and continue to shape the person I am becoming. It is amazing how I can look at my life and see traces of each of them sewn into me.

One of the greatest impacts made in my life has been by my mother. She gave me life. Not only in a literal sense but she helped create my thoughts, my personality, my interests. Our personalities are so similar it is scary. She is why I am an optimist. In every situation, she knows that there is a purpose and a positive outcome. To see all that she has overcome in my 27 years inspires me to have no fear. She wanted to comfort us through her cancer... who does that? I am thankful for her smile, her laugh and most of all her conversation. No one else can I call and talk to for an hour and a half about nothing and feel like I have gained something from it. She has sacrificed so much in her life so that I could have more. I strive to make it worth it for her. I said there aren't enough words and there never will be. I love you mom. You will always be my hero.

As I have been inspired by my mother, I have also been blessed to grow up so close to my grandmother. Throughout the course of my life, she has been a mother, grandmother, friend and supporter of mine. If I ever need words of encouragement or uplifting, she is there. I'm not sure she knows it but hers are the words I look for when I am feeling down. I have always felt loved by her from her actions. She always seems proud of me even when I feel I am nothing. That means more than she could know. I love you Grandma. And I love your macaroni :)

As I was thinking about the "mothers" in my life I can't help but laugh when I think about the next one. My sister is 16 months older than I am and now has a 2 1/2 year old son. But she has been working on becoming a mother for 27 years! From telling me "NO NO!" (my first word) to waking me up for school (in high school), she has always been there to make sure I am ok and taken care of. The parts of motherhood that she has already mastered are being loving and caring. She is so good at caring for her family (all of us) and making sure everything is the way it should be. She is the only other person in the world who came from where I came and I am blessed that I can call her my sister. I love you Kristy. You are what the French call "merveilleux".

The next mother became my mother a little more than 3 years ago. When I married Bethany I could have never imagined how much I would rely on my mother-in-law Dixie. From her words of guidance and wisdom to her care and concern for my well being, she has given me the assurance that she will always be there for me and my family. She lives a life in a manner that Bethany longs to live and for that I am blessed. She has accepted me in her life as a son and I will always look to her as a mother. I love you Dixie. Thank you for the gift I always prayed for!

When I met Bethany, I called my mom in the middle of the night to tell her. I can still picture her in that black shirt and jean shorts. I was so taken by everything about her. We talked on the steps of the Marvin Pittman building (administration offices at GSU) for 3-4 hours and deep down I knew that I wanted to grow old with her. As we dated over the next five years, I could no longer picture my children without seeing her as their mother. After only a year of being married, God blessed us with our first child and Bethany began doing was she was created to do. To be blessed with Bethany as the mother of my children is more than I deserve. She asks me all the time why I love her. I cannot imagine not loving her. She is the only person that can make me smile the way she does. She is the person that makes me want to know who I am. She is the reason I stay up at night wondering what better I can do to provide for her and my girls. She makes me want to become a better man. She is my rock and she loves me for who I am. I love you Beth. Du machts mich glucklich.

These women are why I am who I am. And they are the reason that I want to become more.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Awww....you made me cry...at WORK!! And since I don't want to continue crying, I won't leave a mushy response, except to say "Thank you". It wasn't always easy being a second "mom" to you, especially when your alarm drove me crazy, but I appreciate that you appreciate me :) Truthfully, you are the best brother, and I guess I always mothered you so much just because I've always loved you so much. You were the first person that I ever thought of as "mine" and you are still to this day one of the most important people in my whole world. I am proud of the man you have become. I also know that God has blessed you with two very fortunate daughters because you are one of the most understanding and caring guys I have ever known. Anna Brooke and Emma Kate will flourish in your love. Thanks for always being there for me as well as letting me always mother you without too many complaints. But most of all, thanks for making growing up so much fun. Thanks for understanding me, and for knowing exactly where all of the following come from..."I'm so excited, I'm so excited, I'm so...scared"; "I got the eggs, the milk and the fabric softener"; "The African Ant-eater Ritual!!"; "Give me your beeper number, just your beeper number!"; and my all-time favorite "That corn-dog has a long reach".
I love you, kid!
-Kristy