On this, the eve of the day of honoring our Mothers, I am making my way down to Philadelphia to spend the day with my very own. As I sit on the train, rolling out of New York, I can breathe a little deeper and see a lot more sky. Gazing at the sunny blue air and the marshmallow clouds, I think of how awesome my Momma is, recall some of my favorite memories of her, and reflect on how parts of me are so obviously directly from her.
My Mom is one of a kind. She is more adventurous than I will ever be. Whenever she tells me of one of her weekend adventures from dogsledding to tree-climbing, and helicopter flying lessons to horseback riding, I am reminded of how brave and inspiring she is. Not only is she adventurous, but she brings people together in a way I haven't seen anyone else do. Whether it's Easter, Thanksgiving, a Puppy Party or her Birthday/Christmas shindig, Mom has the magnetic ability to attract loves ones, old friends and newbies alike to one place to join in laughter, banter, food and drink, and overall merriment. She is a connector of people, always making others feel comfortable, happy and loved.
Though those are a few of things that I admire about Mom, what I cherish most are my favorite memories with her. One of my earliest recollections of feeling very close with Mom is how we used to stare at each other and mimick each other's vocal sounds. It sounds weird, but I remember it being really fun trying to guess what sound she was going to make next and trying to imitate it at the exact same time. Nap-time after kindergarten was also a favorite. Everyday when I got off the bus, Mom would give me some yummy lunch (I was in the morning session) and then we would lay in her bed for a nap. Before falling asleep, I would ask her to tell me stories of her old boyfriends. I have no idea why I cared specifically about hearing about boyfriends at that young age, but I remember being entranced and intrigued by hearing about Mom's young loves. I'd fall asleep to her stories while sniffing the shampooey smell of her pillow, and without fail, every time I woke up she wouldn't be in the bed anymore. I always got a little scared at first, but then I'd go downstairs and would find her energetically multi-tasking: doing some combination of cleaning, chatting on the phone with friends, folding laundry, drinking coffee, and watching "General Hospital."
Some other fun snippets I vividly recall from those earlier years include Mom propping up one end of the coffee table on the couch to make a slide for me and Meg, my sister. I remember being so surprised the first time she did this... I didn't know Mom could be so much fun! She even upped the ante by teaching us how to slide down the stairs sitting in a pillow case... Such a blast :) "Make-up table" was another fun game Mom would play with me and Meg. This involved her laying down on the ground, and putting out all her makeup for me and Meg to put on her and make her beautiful (I sure wish we had some photos to document our handiwork :)) We later found out that Mom actually really enjoyed this time because we were easily occupied and she could catch some z's while we sat nearby.
As I grew older, my mom also became my advocate of socialization, learning and growth. When we moved from Blackwood, New Jersey to Marlton, Mom made sure that Meg and I would be happy and make friends, so she researched every dance studio in the area. When she found one she thought we would like, she signed us up and drove us up to 4 times a week back and forth from dance after school. She was at every dance recital, and every football game we cheered at. Actually, I can fully credit Mom with the fact that I stuck with cheerleading from elementary to high school. Mom had just signed me up for the Rec Council cheer team in Marlton, and the first day of practice was upon us. As we pulled up to the parking lot of the Middle School where practice was being held, I saw all the girls on the team in the distance chatting and having fun and practicing their cartwheels and splits. I got cold feet and told Mom I didn't want to do it anymore (I may have said I had a stomach ache.. not exactly sure what excuse I used). This was one of the first times Mom pushed me to do something (in a good way). I don't remember what she said, but I remember it being strong enough that I got my little butt out of the car and marched over to the field. She knew what she was doing -- I loved it from that day on.
But naturally, Mom didn't just focus her efforts on the extracurriculars. She wanted us to be smart! One summer during middle school, she assigned Meg and I a project. She told us each the name of an artist and made us do research and write a report that would be due at the end of the summer. At first I was super mad...how could she give us summer homework! Then, surprisingly, I got into it and actually enjoyed it. Mom didn't only directly guide our educational experiences, but indirectly as well. Mom went to Community College and then to Drexel University when I was young, so I'd always see her studying. I'd even pick up her finance and accounting books from time to time just to read them and see if I understood what the heck they were about (no such luck, but obviously this influenced my future career choice :).
When college application time came around, Mom didn't hold back. After I applied to Princeton, Emory, and University of Florida, my last application to fill out was for UNC Chapel Hill. I had lost essay-writing steam by that point, and quite frankly, didn't really care to fill out another application. Apparently it showed. I remember giving my mom my draft essay to read, and even though I knew it wasn't my best work, I certainly didn't expect her response after reading. "Jenny, even my dog could write better than this!" What?! My own mother would say such a thing?! I have never let Mom live this one down, and she'll still say it to me from time to time in jest :)
After college when I moved to NYC, Mom was a bigger support than ever. I felt a bit lonely the first few months, and Mom would always call me to talk and help me figure out what I should do for the weekends, which were the hardest times since I was single in a new city. On one occasion, she came up to visit me in Manhattan on a Friday night during busy season. Since I was working until 9, she waited for me at a restaurant/bar on the Upper East Side. I felt badly making her wait, but little did I know she was making loads of friends. When I got off of work to meet her, I walked into the bar and was greeted by loud cheers of my name by almost everyone in the place..."JENNY!!!!"! She had made fast friends, and had food and drink already waiting for me :) (Mom then proceeded to try to set me up with the Italian bartender, but we won't get into that story).
Although thinking about these experiences always make me smile and think of my Mom, sometimes all I have to do is look in the mirror to see her. So much of me is directly from Mom. She has given me my love of cozy and snuggles. My need to cook with loads of garlic. My love of coffee. The way I wiggle my feet against my blankets at night just before falling asleep to ensure I'm as nestled as possible. My accounting skills. My need to sniff things.
I love you, Mom! Happy Mother's Day!!
What are your favorite memories of your mother? What traits or habits do you have that she passed down to you?
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