My mom: the woman I call my mom came into my life when I was three years old by becoming my legal guardian. She brought me out of a bad situation and nurtured me as her own. She supported me just like a mother- she read to me every night and helped me with my homework. She put up with my tantrums and fits. She inspired me to read and become smarter and find something I loved doing. She granted me every opportunity she could and helped me find my passion in life. She stuck with me when anyone else would have left. My mom makes a great impact on my life today- so much of my knowledge and skills come from her teaching. We have a very close relationship and I try to give back to her as much as I can in as many ways as I can.
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| These are my mom's favorite memories of me, their names are "Ugga Ugga" and "Monkey". Monkey used to have a jail cell for when he was naughty. I would blame all my wrongdoings on Monkey and assure my mom that Monkey was in jail, being punished! Ugga Ugga makes an awful moaning noise which I used to think was hilarious when I was a young child. My mom has held onto these for a long time! |
My grandmother: My mom's mother's name is Marian and I saw her a lot when I was a young child. Sometimes I would go visit her for a week at a time. She introduced me to Krakus ham (yum!) and all kinds of Polish foods. She helped me feel like part of the family. I have such fond memories of making food and crafts with her at Christmas-time for her church bazaar. We made pirogi's, stuffed cabbage, little spiders made of beads, and snowmen with stuffing inside. Even today it makes me happy to think about it and I always love Christmas-time because it reminds me of her. I see my grandmother a few times a year now and it's become a tradition that I plant her garden for her. One great way she impacts my life today is by laying the foundation to make me feel like I was part of a family- without her I don't think I would have acclimated to my (adoptive) family as well. My favorite item in my house that reminds me of a grandmother is a bell that has a cardinal on it- her favorite bird. We just moved and I'm not sure where it is but here is an exact replica of the one we have.
Mrs. Rose: Another highly influential figure in my life was my Kindergarten teacher Mrs. Rose. Mrs. Rose wasn't in my life for very long but she made a lasting impact on my ability to trust others. I do not remember a lot of our interactions but my mom says she was incredibly supportive as some events were happening in my life. I remember in first grade we did a Flat Stanley project (where you send a cardboard figure on a "trip" and ask the recipient to respond). I sent my Flat Stanley to Mrs. Rose and she sent back a bunch of stuff from Vermont with all kinds of pictures of Flat Stanley's adventures- I still have all of this stuff! Every time I see it it reminds me of the great level of support she had for me. Mrs. Rose still affects my life because she had a great impact on my social-emotional development and ability to connect with other people.
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| This is Flat Stanley and some of the things Mrs. Rose sent back from Vermont! |
This is awesome I think our mom should always be our number one but in some cases it is not so.
ReplyDeleteHello Neisha,
ReplyDeleteI commend your mom for stepping in and becoming your legal guardian. I had the opportunity to do the same for my youngest daughter she is not biologically mines but I raised her as though she were my own flesh and blood. The first six years of her life was hard for her she went from foster home to foster home because her biological mom lost custody of her and her brother and she fell along the lines of DHS and me and my husband which is her father became her legal parents. She a real bad temper she was angry with her mom and situation but I told her and show her love every day I walked her to school, went to PTA meeting for her I love and nurtured her back to reality. As of today she is 2 years into the United States Army and doing very well. She calls me every day and thanks me for shaping and molding her into the successful young woman she grew up to be.
Hello Neisha,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing and there are so many children that a loving home and I am so glad that you were blessed with that. I really thought it was awesome to hear you talk about the crafts and cooking you did with your mom and grandmother. I figured we had something in common my favorite holiday is Christmas. I also help raise my little sister when my mom passed away as well as, had custody of two little cousins. So I know it takes a special kind of person to raise a child that isn't yours. God bless your mother and grandmother.
C Arradondo