I Love My Mother Because.... by Tia Fowles

I love my mother because she taught me about sacrifice and service. She set the example by always working so hard, and always giving everything she had for our family. I remember a time when she worked the 3:00 am - 8:00 am shift at Albertsons to help our family financially. She didn't come home and spend the rest of the day in bed either - as I would be tempted to do. She came home and raised 9 kids and ran our household. She is truly of pioneer stock.

 

I spent a lot of time in high school being embarrased by what she wore, or what she didn't wear. It wasn't until I realized that every last penny my parents made went to their children - the athletics and activities they were involved in, the dance lessons and competitions - that I came to appreciate her sense of fashion. There wasn't money left over to worry about fashion and style. There wasn't time in the day after raising nine kids and working to worry about facials and pedicures. She could have thrown in the towel and said, "No more. I want more for me." but she never did, she gave and gave and still gives and gives. Because she has always been the giver, I sometimes forget that she is her own person, with her own passions and interests. I forget to engage those things about her and talk to her about the things she loves to do. She is always too quick to ask about me and what I'm involved in for the conversation to turn to herself.

 

Another thing I admire about my mother is that she gave me independence and encouraged me to become my own person. I had different interests than most of my siblings, and that didn't deter her support. She came to my dance performances, sewed costumes, paid for $120 dance shoes, and sat there round after round at my competitions. It wasn't her passion, but you would have never known it by her support of me being involved in it.

 

I love my mother and am so thankful she has taught me and trained me. I don't know how she did it with what she was up against, but she did an amazing job.

{Tia} has been my friend since 4th grade, and when my brother married her sister, we basically adopted her as an extra sibling (we love her that much). Tia became an aunt when she was quite young, and she's been a second mother to every niece and nephew in the family. Tia's mother Linda Roskelley is fantastic. Her quilting abilities and fabric stash are impressive; the 9 hilarious and wonderful children she turned out are the best testament of what a great mom she is. Linda and Tia, Happy Mothers Day to you both!