My mom (and dad) did a good job at hiding the struggles. See I was born in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (East Africa). I lived their for about two and a half years before making the big move to Atlanta. My parents were also born in Tanzania, East Africa. There was a big cultural and language barrier they both encountered when they first came to America. They each had a vision of what they wanted to achieve and be when they made the move. My dad was the first to make the move - he came to Atlanta, found a job, an apartment, bought a car and started a home for us. My mom and I later joined him a year later. My mom faced an immediate language barrier when she moved here - she did not speak a lick of English. She actually self-taught herself English by watching daytime soap opera and by watching Sesame Street with me (believe it or not). So Elmo was not only teaching me simple English phrases but mom too!
Still she never let the language or cultural barriers deter her. In fact she used those challenges as tools for motivation. She taught herself English and had a neighbor friend teach her how to drive while I was at school and my dad was at work. See back in that time (and in my culture) the mom was to stay at mom and raise the kids -the dad was expected to work outside of the home. Mom pushed through all the difficulties and didn't let others stop her - she wanted to prove she was an independent woman and she set that example for me and my siblings. She always taught us to stand up for what we believed in, speak up, and set your goals high.
Growing up I didn't realize what it meant to be a stay-at-home mom (and how that in itself is a FULL TIME job). I didn't realize how she woke up at the crack of dawn every morning to make a hot breakfast for my dad, pack our lunches, take us to the school bus stop, clean the house, and make dinner. I never knew how much time she invested in each task and never ever "half-assed" it. She always gave it her all (and still does). That is why I admire her. I inspire to be like her. I am a fairly new mom - I have a beautiful 17-month-old baby boy who is the BEST thing to happen to me. But boy..oh...boy I never realized all the struggles women go thru just to become a mom - the pregnancy, the labor, the post-labor, the learning how to be a mom when you come home from the hospital - what to do when the baby is crying and you have done EVERYTHING you can think of to make him stop crying. But then all of the sudden a feeling comes over you and you just know what to do - you just know to rock him a little softer, to give him an extra feeding, or just lay him on your chest and let him hear that heartbeat he has heard for 9 months. No one tells you these things - you just know. Call it mother's intuition.
All these things I realized when I became a mom. And at the same time - I began to realize how special it is to be a mom. Mom's come in all different sizes, color's, and backgrounds. Some mom's are faced with greater challenges than other's but to each mom - their struggles are special and unique to them. I guess I really "grew up" when I became a mom. I REALLY began to appreciate my mom and ALL that she did for me (and still does for me). I remember how she would take me and my sister to ticketmaster at 4am and help us "camp out" for tickets to the Backstreet Boys Concert, I remember how she would drive us all around town just to find the perfect outfit for a school play, or how she would stand in line with me on Black Friday (in the freezing cold) trying to buy the hottest item of the season. I remember how she was the first one who ran to the hospital as soon as I told her I was in labor (and she patiently waited for HOURS in the waiting room waiting for my little baby boy to arrive).
I am thankful that she lives 5 minutes from my house. She is also currently helping me raise my son during the day while I am at work (my husband and I both work full time). I wish I could be a stay-at-home mom many a days but I know its important for me to work (for my son - to better his future). But I sincerely appreciate what she continues to do for me (now as a grandma!).
Who do I aspire to be like? I want to be a super-mom...like my mom.
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