Mom, we talk every week. You know I love you, you know you have always been my best friend. But, do you really know how much I am amazed by you? How much I look up to you? You've always thought you were "just a cashier." That maybe you weren't as good as other mothers in providing for your children. In a sense, you may be right...in my eyes, you were and are better. You have always provided unconditional love. No matter how bad any of us kids may have messed up, you were always there for us. We always knew that without a doubt. Proved it over and over. Never gave up on us. You gave us advice, and being the stubborn kids we were and are, sometimes we didn't follow your advice. You never came back with a "I told you so." Instead, you wiped the tears, helped pick up the pieces, and helped us move on. We grew up knowing that no matter what, you will always be there. You taught us that no matter what place you hold in life no-one is better than anyone else. Doesn't matter how much you make, what religion, what race. Some, just have better opportunities, but it doesn't make them better, or us better. You taught us not to be prejudiced. THAT was a feat in itself...you had to balance out Kenny, our step-father. He was a prejudiced man. You beat him at that. In many ways, that was no contest. With as much love as you showed us, how could we not pass it on? I still wonder how you kept food on the table, lights on, and a roof over our heads. Kenny quit working when I was 8. You were the only income. As I have gotten older, I do know one way that us kids always had enough to eat. All those times you said you weren't hungry...you were. You were making sure we had enough. I asked you about that once. Never got an answer...got "that look" tho. The one that says, "You are right, but I'm not saying." You tried to leave Kenny once. You tried to get us away from him, his influence. His enviroment. And that was without knowing what he was doing and saying to me. I never told you of that. I never will...you were hurting enough, I wasn't going to hurt you more. And I'm not going to hurt you now. Even at a young age, I knew you were trying your best. And, I heard you crying behind closed doors when you thought no-one could hear. Even tho you tried to leave,to get us away, you had to go back. I understand that now. I understood then. They didn't have the resources back then that they do now. You went back cause we were to the point of having to live on the street. Financially, you couldn't make it. So, you went back. I remember how you hated that. You taught us not to judge people. That we do not know why a person is how they are. We do not know what is going on behind closed doors. To give the benefit of the doubt. You taught us that material things are just that...material. As long as we have a roof over our head, food in our stomache we were ok. Everything else is a bonus. You taught us to make do with what we have. You taught us that the most important things in life are love, family and respect for others and ourselves. You have taught us that whatever job we have, to give our all. To do our best. Mom, you have taught us so many things. Things that will carry us thru life. Lessons that will keep us strong. Lessons to never give up. So many lessons...the list goes on. Mom, you may think you are "just a cashier", but I see you as someone that has never given up. Someone that has raised 3 very loving children. Someone who has passed on great morals and lessons and strength to her children. Mom, you are someone that I am so very proud to call Mom. Mom, you are the person I respect and admire more than anyone else I know. Mom, I love You! My Mom, but also my best friend... ****Just sitting around thinking of my Mom today, how much I love her...lessons learned, and how great a woman I think she is...****