Every day I become more and more thankful for and in awe of my mum. Each year, especially since becoming a mother myself, I appreciate more the strong, but empathetic person she is.

When I was almost 12, my dad died. He was my best friend, but he was my mom’s soul mate. While grieving for him, she lost her mother, her father, and her mother-in-law in the span of three years. I can’t imagine that. I can’t imagine how she managed to raise and wrangle a defiant, horrible teenager (because I was) while also grieving for people she loved so much and trying to figure out how to function on her own.

Today, she is the most fantastic grandmother to my kids. She is beautiful, she is intelligent, she travels, she has wonderful friends who love and appreciate her, she works hard, she is the best mom I could ever ask for and I am thankful every day.

On this Mother’s Day, I want to thank her and the mothers who came before both of us whose very existence ensured mine.

Thank you to my 3 grandmas: Lois, Ruth, and Sharon (the two former I think of often and I so wish you were here! The latter who I am happy to say I can thank  in person if I want to- Love you Grams!)

 

 

 

 

My grandma Lois
My grandma Ruth
My grandma Sharon

Thank you to my 4 great-grandmas: Mildred, Adela, Grace, and Mary Amanda.

Thank you to my great-greats:  Stella, Patra, Domenica, Angela, Barbara, Marie, Ella, and Katherine Corinne “Katie. ”

Thank you to my great-great-greats and beyond: Elisabetta, Berardina, Catherine, Katherine, Katherine, Anna Maria, Eva, Martha, Anna, Anna Catherine, Magdalena, Susannah, Anna Maria, Anna Maria, Christina, Maria, Barbara, Maria Barbara, Nancy, Susanna, Elisabetha, Anna Maria, Katherine, Anna, Elisabetha, Anna Marie, Veronica, Anna, Deborah, Barbara, Barbara, Sytge, Barbli, Maria Margarethe, Barbara, Elsbeth, Elsbeth, Anna, Mary, Elizabeth, Anna, Frances, Barbara, Anna, Elizabeth, Elizabeth, Elizabeth, Jane, Mary, Elisabeth, Magdalena, Anna, Anna, Hannah, Rucina, Sarah, Hannah, Eleanor, Mary, Mary, Martha, Florence, Mary, Agnes, Margaret, Mary, Elizabeth, Mary Jane, Elizabeth, Martha, Amanda, Elizabeth “Betsy,” Catharina, Hannah, Mary, Elenor “Nellie,” Susannah, Sarah, Jemima, Mary, Remember, Mary, Mary, Judith, Mary, Margarette, Margaret, Prudence, Jane, Catherine, Ann, Susan, Alice, Bridget, Elizabeth, Thomazine, Mary, Elizabeth, Elizabeth, Jane, Joice, Dorothy, Elizabeth, Alice, Elizabeth, Elizabeth, Elizabeth, Anne, Alice, Margaret, Mary, Elizabeth, Joan, Elizabeth, Margery, Elizabeth, Elizabeth, Margaret, Joan, Margaret, Elizabeth, Elizabeth, Margaret, Philippa, Alice, Philippa, Elizabeth, Katherine, Elizabeth, Ida, Alianore, Ankaret, Alice, Alice, Philippe, Maud, Sibyl, Jane, Margaret, Isabel, Philippa, Elizabeth, Isabella, Margaret, Hawise, Aline, Matilda, Mary, Isabel, Isabel, Agnes, Maud, Isabel, Lucy, Joan, Margaret, Juliana, Maud, Maud, Isabel, Margaret, Juliana, Euphemia, Margaret, Ela, Helen, Isolt, Joan, Margaret, Joan, Maud, Blanche, Maud, Jeanne, Elizabeth, Catherine, Hawise, Isabella, Philippa, Joan, Eleanor, Joan, Philippa, Margaret, Eleanor, Joan, Isabella, Blanche, Adelaide, Margaret, Isabella, Maria, Elizabeth, Maud, Maud, Margaret, Joan, Blanche, Isabella, Aveline, Eleanor, Matilda, Hawise, Matilda, Ela, Ida, Ela, Hawise, Alice, Isabel, Margaret, Agnes, Margaret, Orabilis, Petronilla, Joan, Maud, Juliana, Maud, Hawise, Eve, Alisone, Philippa, Elizabeth, Johanna, Isabel, Alice, Alice, Gundred, Gundred, Elizabeth “Isabel,” Anne, Adelaide, Adele, Constance, Ingegard, Pavia, Adele, Adelaide, Adelaide-Blanche, Ermengarde, Alix, Ida, Maud, Isabel, Juliana, Margaret, Sybilla, Aoife, Adeline, Ida, Petronilla, Margaret, Isabel, Mor, Adelise, Judith, Adelaide, Jane, Jane, Eleanor, and so on and so on…and so on….

…and thank you to my husband and my kids for letting me join this wonderful club. I love you!

 

 

 

 

My mom & I
Me & my son
My daughter & I