Dear Mom,

Eighteen years and some odd days ago you gave birth to me. Throughout the years you have been not only my mother, but also my father. You have picked up the slack that was let off and you took hold of the reigns and did what you had to do to make sure my sister and I had the life we have today. When I was young, I used to question why you would put your two baby girls in the situations you did but now I understand. You had to. You had no choice but to endure the everlasting pain that came along with procuring your babies. I not only want to say thank you for being the stability in my life that I always needed, even when I did not act like it but I want you to know that I know that I am a very stubborn child and throughout my eighteen years of life I put great stress on you. Thank you for suffering through the torment of my moody pre-teen and teenage years and trying to be fair and reasonable when it came to letting me make decisions for myself. I know that I probably pushed the limits a little bit too far sometimes, but you never held a grudge for more than three days.

When I was young, I never realized the time and hassle you went through to take us girls to everything that was going on in town. Instead of just putting us in front of the TV and getting some rest, you packed us up and off we went to playgroups, story time, art clinics, sporting camps, and walks to the park. This taught us a love for the outdoors and adventure. These things taught us to interact with other children and brought out our creative and athletic abilities. I know as kids, my sister and I were never sleepers and you missed out on a lot of sleep during those years but you continued to keep us active all day without any help and I do not really know how you did that. I love that you said you knew from the beginning that I would be not only strong-willed but determined to succeed. It seemed like fate that you read to me Dr. Seuss’, “Oh, Baby, the Places You’ll Go,” even before I was born and I came out ready to conquer the world.

I want to thank you for providing me with all I need over the years and making sure that I have memories to look back on. You were always at every sporting event, concert, and academic function with your camera. You created photo albums full of special moments in my life and I am grateful for that. You without a doubt were my biggest supporter and were always there for me when I needed you. You cheered me up when I did bad and gave me advice on how to get better. You coached me through many sports and traumas. Thank you for taking me shopping and making sure I was up-to-date on all the latest electronic devices and clothing trends. You have exponentially expanded my love for dogs since you have adopted eight cats into our quarters. For that I am grateful because cats and I are too similar.

Thank you for being an active part of my school. Even though you were doing all the jobs of both parents you always volunteered for anything you could at our school. You were there for messy math, pumpkin carvings, field trips, fun days, talent shows, and on committees for both middle school and high school booster clubs. You were always willing to drive me and my friends around to anything we wanted to do. You volunteered to monitor and help my friends and I practice every year for the talent show and I appreciate all these things.

Although I will be going to college a thousand miles away I know that I will be near you because you will be wrapped around my leg, begging me to stay. I have been anxiously awaiting graduation so that I could finally go out, into the world, but now that it is here, I want time to slow down. Going twenty-two hours away from all of your friends and family can be scary and nerve-racking but I am not scared because I know my aunt will fly me home every other month. I cannot wait for these times during the year so I can come back to visit, and we can go on shopping trips to Wichita. Of course, we will have to stop on Oliver Street along the way to pick up our favorite third-wheel. I love how you have always accepted my friends and boyfriends into our family, like they were your own. It is funny how some of them ended up texting you as much as me. You helped me through the exciting times in my relationships with guys as well as the scary ones. Throughout those times you helped me to know how to protect myself and to know not to settle for less than I deserve. I will never forget the outrageous charades you would come up with to help me remember my history questions, nor the insightful critiques to make on my English papers, nor the love for math you instilled into me at such a young age.

I want to say thank you, for everything you have done for me over the years. Your endless love and servitude have been gratefully appreciated and have not gone unnoticed. I know you jokingly tell people that you will be living in my backyard some day in my guest house but even though you say it is a joke, I know it is not and I know that you would do anything to be able to spend every waking moment with me. I hope that someday I will make enough money to be able to repay you for all the debt I have put you in because of all of my sports injuries and medical issues throughout the years. I hope that someday I will be taking you on shopping trips instead of vice versa. You have given me a drive and an ambition to be successful and to make something of myself. You have allowed me to be independent and to make my own decisions regarding my life and my future. Even when I chose a college far away from you, you encouraged me to follow my dreams and believed that I was making a decision that was truly best for me. You remind me that there will be hard times ahead but that I have the strength and knowledge to survive these times and grown from them. You have taught me how to be brave and strong and to keep fighting even throughout the tough times. I know that I am the person that I am today because of the way you raised me and the upbringing I had. I am glad to be able to say that I am the stubborn, independent, persistent women I am today because you did not try to force me to behave or to think a certain way. You tried to control me but you knew you would never be able to so you just gave me boundaries and let me figure the rest out on my own which strengthened me and enabled me to have the personality characteristics I have today.

Once again, I want to thank you for everything that you have done for me, big and small, and everything you will continue to do for me. I appreciate all of your efforts even though neither of us may realize it. By the time you are reading this it will be graduation day and a million different things will be running through your mind, it will not hit you that I am leaving until you sit in that auditorium with hundreds of people, most in the same situation as you, and you see me walk across the stage. You will cry and you will wish time would slow down because just yesterday it seems like I was coming home in a Christmas stocking from the hospital but you know that I will go out into the world and I will do great things because of how I was raised and the values I was taught. Just know that one day, when you are old and wrinkly, I will be there to take care of you like you were there to take care of me. Thank you for being my mother and my father all in one, and for being the stability I needed in life.

Love,                          

Hannah           

PS: If you are not crying by the time this is over I owe you $10, if you are, you owe me $10.

PPS: You know I am not outwardly sentimental so I will deny the creation of this blog should you decide to blab about it so just secretly enjoy it.

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December 20, 2000 was the day it all started. This is the day that I was brought into this world. As stories go, I wouldn’t cry when the doctors wanted me to cry, I wouldn’t eat when they wanted me to eat, it can be said that I was a stubborn baby. In all the chaos and concern that came along with this day, also came joy and Christmas stockings. On December 22, 2000, I came home from the hospital, however, I didn’t come home as your normal baby does. When I was rolled into my mom’s hospital room the morning I was to depart, I was tucked into a red Christmas stocking. Being a Christmas baby definitely has its perks. The most memorable is receiving a double dose of presents. From a young age, “presents” was the major word I directly related to Christmas. However, as I grew older, the meaning of Christmas began to morph from an adoration of receiving presents and displaying them, to an appreciation and realization of the importance of family, love, and traditions.

My first memories of Christmas stem from waking up at the crack of dawn to open the stockings that were overflowing with marvelous toys, candies, and an orange that always filled out the toe of the stocking. Following the stocking extravaganza, the excitement waned at the realization that the Julotta service was about to begin and my sister and I wouldn’t be able to open the rest of our glorious presents that were underneath the tree. Every year, at 7am, the Julotta service begins and every year my entire family unites to fill up the sanctuary at our tiny church. This tradition began to grow on me as time progressed because I realized the reason for the season, which to me is to give thanks and to be united with family. Eventually, my cousins and I became a part of the Julotta service, and now every Christmas morning we light the advent candle and give the message behind the Christmas day.

After the service, my family gathers at my grandparents’ house to indulge in the same egg casserole that my parents make every Christmas morning. During this part of the day, my cousins and I are anxiously awaiting the moment when our parents grant us the opportunity to tear into our stockings and marvel at all of our treasures. This event can become rather interesting due to the overexuberance of my cousin, Eastin, who is now pursuing a major in drama. The following tradition is something that I grew to appreciate and understand the meaning for. This tradition is the annual reading of the Christmas story, read by my grandfather. During this portion of the day, there is nothing but silence while we listen to him, which is very rare in our households. It shows the immense respect that we all have for this family tradition. Once the story has commenced, and all thirteen of us have found our seats, tackling the wall of presents is next on our list. I remember being so mesmerized by the abundance of gifts that I felt elated at the sight. The Christmas present opening process takes so long, that we have an intermission to stop and go to the bathroom, get a drink, or to get more food off the treat counter which filled the kitchen. Our present opening rules are as follows: one person at a time, everyone pays attention to what the other is opening, always say thank you, and no playing or using your gift until after all the presents are opened. These rules required major attention and patience for us children, and I was not a very patient child. Finally, after the three to four hours of opening gifts, my cousins and I were finally able to play with all our spectacular toys, or so we thought. Preceding our enjoyment of our gifts came the daunting tasks of opening the packages, finding batteries (if necessary) and prying our gifts away from my Uncle Keith.

My earliest memory of this portion of the day was playing dolls with my sister and all my cousins. Eastin and I would always butt heads due to our constant need to be in control. However, we eventually started to outgrow not only our dolls but also our stubbornness, to an extent. The next phase of gifts included Nancy Drew computer games and technology galore. During these years, my sister, cousins and I would sit around playing with the latest iPod, MP3 player, or other forms of technology, but my most vivid memory is Eastin always receiving a new Nancy Drew game. Eastin would settle in the middle of the couch and all the remaining cousins would crowd around her and watch her maneuver through the game. I was always in shock at how easily and quickly she could beat the game without having played it before. As I look back on this memory now and having talked with Eastin about it, I’ve come to the conclusion that she never really knew what she was doing, but she always found a way to work through the difficulties. While “the cousins,” as we’re called, were off playing with our toys, the moms were busy making the Christmas lunch, and the dads were watching football. Every year, the same venue was prepared. The Christmas meal consisted of ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, Brookville’s creamed corn, Pillsbury crescents, black olives, green olives, cranberry salad, and pies for dessert. Along with the strenuous meal preparation that took place, an even more stressful tradition, for me, was up next, not breaking Grandma’s fine china.

After the stresses of lunch were over, back to solving the mystery of Nancy Drew the cousins went, and to the living room for their afternoon nap went the adults. Two hours later, but what felt like an eternity, the adults finally woke up and were ready for the game portion of the day. This includes basketball, dominos, and the family Olympics. The family Olympics consists of family members being divided into three teams with members of each household split between the groups. The competitions consist of an academic section, an athletic section, an artistic section, and an entertainment section. For each event, teams would be awarded points based on their first, second, or third place finish. After all the events were completed, each team’s points get compiled and all teams are anxiously awaiting disclosure at the final awards ceremony. At the final awards ceremony the winner is finally announced and awarded with the Olympics banner and gold “medals” — gold decorative sticks from Hobby Lobby. Second place is award with silver “medals” and third place with bronze “medals.” Following the awards ceremony, team photos are taken of each place. These are used for Facebook publishing purposes and bragging rights. Although the Christmas spirit is usually intact, there have been moments of unsportsmanlike conduct, these acts are committed by the sorest loser, also known as, my Uncle Keith.

The end of the night draws near and the festivities have all commenced. The cousins are sad to have to depart from one another, even though they will be reunited the following morning. However, for my sister and I, going home means finally being able to open the rest of our presents from underneath our Christmas tree. We load up the car with all of the goodies from Grandma’s and begin our trek home. Upon arriving at home, my sister and I leap out of the car and run inside to sit by the Christmas tree and await the approval of my parents to dig into the remaining gifts. The wait always seems to last forever, but eventually, once the car is fully unloaded and the camera is on, my parents instruct us to begin. Once the process of opening presents has ended, we spend a little bit more time playing with our new gifts before being told to get ready for bed because it’s past midnight. Every year we try to convince our parents that we’re not tired, but immediately when my head hits the pillow, I’m out like a light. The Christmas festivities have drawn to an end, but next year this day full of traditions will be repeated in the exact same sequence.

 As a child, waking up on Christmas morning was the only day out of all 365 days that caused me to actually jump out of bed and sprint into the living room. Christmas was the only day that you could find me out of bed before 7 am. Christmas was the only day where I felt nothing but joy and cheerfulness. Christmas was the day I received an abundant number of presents. Although receiving presents is a bonus, I now realize there is so much more buried deep within the meaning of Christmas. Whether it be the stories of my birth, the incredible love I am shown on those Christmas days or the amazing family traditions that we have accumulated over the years, I am a strong believer in the power of Christmas and the abilities of Christmas magic.

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton