I’d like to take this opportunity to share with you some things about my mom, Nancy. A lot of you have read my TJ Maxx blog and have gotten to know a little bit about her over the past year. I’m writing this the day before Mother’s Day, and I am thinking about how great mothers are in general, and about how lucky I am to have Nancy as my mom. Not everyone will have this same experience, but I hope you have someone in your life that is like a mom, whether it’s a good friend, a sister, or even a mentor. Please don’t wait to tell that person how special they are…we are here together but for a moment in time.

If you think about it, moms make the ultimate sacrifice for us from the very beginning. They carry us around for 9 long months, all while dealing with the various side effects of pregnancy like weight gain, heartburn, weird cravings and sleepless nights; they also have to give up some really fun things too like riding roller coasters and enjoying a relaxing dip in a hot tub. Consider some of the things your mom did for you before you even took your first breath: she may have read to you, sung you a lullaby, prepared a warm and inviting nursery for you, and read countless books and articles so she was prepared for anything. How amazing is that?

My mom was a teacher before she had my sister and me. She majored in English in college, and she loves to read. She keeps up with current events and likes to talk about politics (this sometimes gets her into trouble!) She loves shopping, fashion and traveling, and of course her 5 grandchildren. She is always quick to give advice or spring into action and help out in any way that she can. When the grandkids were little, she and my dad would take care of them so my sister and I could go on vacation with our husbands, and enjoy ourselves without the stress of traveling with little kids. That was invaluable and we will forever be grateful to her for that. Nancy is a tough lady, and I know I got my strength from her. She is caring and thoughtful, and able to put things into perspective for me when I call with a problem. I hope I can do for my kids what Nancy did for me: she gave me confidence, she gave me wisdom and she gave me love. What more could a daughter ask for?

Unfortunately I won’t be able to be with my mom this year on Mother’s Day. But you won’t find me at a fancy brunch with fanfare and presents. I will be driving to Charlotte to move my middle son into his summer apartment, and I will be getting my youngest son ready for his high school graduation. I will be doing what moms do. Just like I learned from my mom. The thing is, my mom knows how much she means to me, and she knows how much I love her. We’ve built a strong bond that I will carry with me forever. No matter where we are, we are in each other’s minds and hearts, and today I thank God for that.