Friday Friend or Family Feature...

Today's feature is....



MY MOM!

How do you say all there is to say about your mom in a blog entry? It is impossible. I have known her, as my sister would say, my whole life. Instead of trying to describe her to you, I think I will just give you some tidbits and show you some pictures.


This one, is currently my favorite picture of my mom...Click on it for the full effect...



Don't you want to be a student at her Montessori school? Look at that unbridled enthusiasm. I spent a couple of hours with her at her camp the summer before last, and let me tell you, it was exhausting. I had to go back to the house and IMMEDIATELY lie down. She is amazing. It is a constant chorus of,"Mrs. C ! Mrs.C !" Those little crumb grabbers don't leave her alone for one second. She is there ALL DAY LONG!

She knows so much about kids and I am looking forward to utilizing her expertise. I just wish that we lived closer. I am going to have to increase my cell phone minutes, because I know that I am going to need a lot of advice. From potty-training to behavior modification I know that I can go to her for suggestions. She has so much training and experience. She is an amazing educator.



She brought Montessori to a region of the country that was sorely lacking in resources. Not only does she educate these children in the beautiful school that my dad built for her, but she goes out of her way to help these kids, their families and their community. She shows them this for instance:




The Pink Tower. Very cool. I love the pink tower.

She also provides scholarships for kids who can't afford tuition. She drives a couple of her students to and from school everyday because it is inconvenient for their parents to do so. She is devoted to each and every student. She stays late, goes in early and works on her days off. I frankly don't know how she does it. I am tired just writing about it.

In addition to being a great educator, here is a fun fact that you may not know about Marie-Therese, T.C., Tina, Mom...

Now the details on this are sketchy, and there are two equally impressive versions, but apparently my mom was either thrown out of a high school dance for "LEWD DANCING," or was given an award at said dance for "BEST TEENY-BOPPER." Either way, I'm impressed. Occasionally she'll bust a move, but it generally takes some large amount of libations beforehand.

My mom used to tell me that her early years with my father were like that movie
Everybody's All- American.
She was Jessica Lange and my father was Dennis Quaid. My father was a football star in high school and at Purdue University. He played in the Rose Bowl. My mother was in the stands watching , and I was there too, in utero. I can't really fathom what it must have been like to be nineteen, a college student, married AND pregnant. My mom was a French major and had dreams of working in the Foreign Service. I am sure my impending birth put the kibosh on those plans. My mom says that we "grew up together." I really like it when she says that.




How will our adoption impact my mom? I'm not sure. She already has two beautiful granddaughters and is a doting Nana. Maybe she will finally be able to be Nana to a grandson? That would be nice. I will tell you who will benefit the most, my brand new kids. They lucked out in the adoptive-grandparents department.

I want to reiterate that I feel it is impossible for me to express my gratitude and my love for my mom in one measly blog entry. As my eloquent husband put it, "Your mom is the one who taught you how to be a woman," No small feat.