Recent events over the course of the last week or so have had me thinking alot about something that most of us take for granted,our family.
Let me start off by talking a little bit about my mom.My mom got pregnant with me when she was about 20 yrs. old.The guy that got her pregnant was a total loser and left shortly after he found out,only to turn around and say that he wasn't the father.Because being an unwed mother wasn't very accepted back then(1978-1979),she was given the cold shoulder by many and even her preacher told her that she should have an abortion.
After I was born(I'm not sure exactly how long it was)she met her first husband(and I use that term loosely) who eventually became the father of my two younger sisters.The problem was that he was a alcoholic waste of oxygen that liked to hit on women because he was always getting his ass beat at bars.So two sisters and lots of violence later it was just me,my sisters and my mom living in the same house that my mom and all her brothers and sisters had grown up in.My grandparents had moved into an apartment complex and let us live in the house for free AND they payed some of the utilities.
This is where my mother truly shined.As a single mother with three children she was the very definition of a stern,loving mother.Me and my sisters were little brats as all small children usually are.The thing was that my mom was good at discipline.I've seen throughout the years where single moms have trouble keeping their kids in line,mine never had that problem.We got whippings and plenty of them.She never went to far or abused us,she just did enough to make us respect her.
We lived off of foodstamps and welfare for alot of years because there really weren't any programs setup to help single moms with daycare and whatnot.She tryed to work lots of different times,but for multiple reasons it never really worked out.During this time I met my bestfriend to this day,Josh,and had lots of good friends.Overall ,even though we were very poor and never had much in the way of material things,I had a wonderfully great childhood.
Fast forward to when I was about 10 or 11 yrs. old.My mom never really had time to date because all of her time was spent taking care of us.I always knew that she was lonely and as little kid it really pained me to see my mom hurting.So one day I was across the street at Josh's house and his dad was in the driveway hanging out with his fishing buddy.Well, he called me over to them and told me to go ask my mom if she wanted to go out on a date with his friend.Immediately,somehow,I could tell that this man was a really great person and so I preceded to go tell my mom.She asked me what he looked like and everything and I said that he was really nice and goodlooking.So she goes out with him and has a great time and not to far after they were married.
It was funny because my sisters didn't really take to having a
Fast forward to a few days ago and I'm leaving the hospital after visiting my mom.She had sugery the prior night and was still having alot of pain and was running a fever while I was there.When I was walking out of the hospital all I could seem to do was pray and ask God to take care of her because I was so scared to lose her that it was like I had forgotten how much she meant to me.This is a women that went through more than ANYONE should ever have to go through so that she could raise her three kids right.She never once thought about herself,always putting us first and for that she is and forever will be the greatest mother ever.
Fast forward to this evening.I got off work a little early today and headed home to take a nap.When I got home my mom called and said that when my dad had gone to get her from the hospital and bring her home,her car broke down.So they had to call my sister to come pick them up and take them home,but they had to leave the car on the side of the road.So she wanted to know if I could meet my dad up there and help him get it up on a trailor so that he could take it back to their house.Of course I said yes,but as I was driving over there there was something that I couldn't get out of my mind.
A few years ago I had a '95 Dodge Neon and the head gasket had blown and forced me to leave it at a local Time-it-lube.Well I met my mom and dad up there one evening to load it up on the trailor and haul it out to their house.Sound familiar?It was even the same kind of car if you can believe that.During that time though,my dad had a heart attack and I had to rush him to the hospital.I remember waiting outside the hospital that day praying and praying and praying that he would be alright.
So as I drove over there today I kept thinking about that day and hoping and pray that something like that wouldn't happen again.He may not be my biological father ,but that don't mean anything because he is something much,much better,he is my real father.He took on three bratty little kids and raised them as his own.He dealt with many,many things that that he didn't have to.He always worked harder and more hours to take care of us ,never thinking of himself.I am the man I am today because of him.He is everything that a real dad should be and I am truly greatful for God sending him to us.I really don't know where we would be or who I would be without him in our lives.
I love my mom and my dad very,very much for being the great people they are and this week has definatley reminded me of that.And I just wanted to write this so as to make sure that they know as well.
-Ben-
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