I likely do not need to remind you that yesterday was Mother’s Day (and if I do, I advise you call your mother immediately!) That being said, this blogger was busy celebrating with his own mother, (catching a baseball game and going out for a bite to eat) and thus failed to update the blog or otherwise make mention of the date. In lieu of apologizing, I thought I’d write a better-late-than-never post on how important my mother is to me.

Ask my dad; there is no doubt that my mom wears the pants in the family. She is a strong woman and the glue that holds our family together. She is keenly aware of her role and often wonders aloud how unfortunate our lives would be without her.

She is tough to please, but only because she expects the best out of my sister and me. I’ve adopted her pursuit of excellence and perfectionism as traits of my own, for better or for worse. Most of what I do is still driven by my desire to please her and make her proud, and overall I believe this motivation has served me well. I owe so much to her for constantly pushing me and encouraging me when I was prepared to roll over and settle for mediocrity.

By now you may be under the impression that my mom is a tough cookie. I will not argue otherwise. However, I must stress how incredibly loving and kind-hearted she is as well. She has been so supportive of my sister and me over the years, taking it upon herself to be involved in every aspect of our lives, all while granting us the privacy and autonomy that kids crave while growing up. I know that she will always have our backs and that we can count on her for both words of encouragement or consolation depending on the circumstances.

There are so many other things I could say, but I will spare you any further details. Simply put, I am very grateful for my mom and love her very much. She is my hero!

In a larger context, Homes for Heroes would like to recognize all mothers for their love and dedication. Being a mother may not always be glamorous work, but it is heroic work all the same!