I Love My Mom’s Hand Me Downs

In this week’s Parent Blogger’s Network Blog Blast we were asked to write about what our mother handed down to us. It is because of my Mom that I have much of what I have and am much of who I am. Ask anyone else in my family about me and my Mom and there’s a good chance they’ll tell you I’m just like her. Sometimes my Dad and my husband call me “little Pat” or “Pat Jr”. When I hear someone tell me I’m just like my mother I tell them there are worse people I could be like. My Mom did everything she could to make our lives good growing up, even when things were bad. She is her own toughest critic.

Some people question why I do so much for my Mother. It’s simple. She does a lot to help me and my family. It’s also the least I can do since she brought me into this world. It’s just one way of showing my appreciation.

My Mom was a teacher for many years. From her I got my value for education (although that one took a number of years to kick in). It’s only now that I’m 42 that I wish I’d appreciated education when I was younger. At 15, which is when I graduated high school, I just wanted to have fun and didn’t realize how many opportunities I was throwing away. It’s also from my Mom that I got my my love of reading. Now we enjoy some of the same authors and even share books a lot of the time.

My Mom gave me the understanding that there is value and simplicity in the truth. I’m not the kind of Mom that says “not my child”. Lying does everyone a disservice. Plus, it’s an awful lot of work.

My Mom handed down the belief that one hand washes another, one good turn deserves another.

My Mom handed down a love for carbs, which I believe she got from my Grandma. Unfortunately, with that also came obesity. Genetics and Murphy’s Law ensured my predisposition to getting all of the health issues my Mom has, which is one of the biggest reasons I had the surgery three weeks ago. Mom’s health problems started when she was 43, which is how old I’ll be this year. I’m trying to regain my health and prevent further health issues. For those that don’t know, my Mom had the exact same surgery as me a few days ago and her doctors are optimistic that many of her conditions will improve greatly.

There is a bag of clothing on my dining room table. My Mom handed it down to me this week because she knows that I’ll be needing some clothes as I lose weight. She’s always offered me her clothes before giving them to someone else or Good Will.

Lots of the furniture in my home has been handed down, some for sentimental reasons and some for economical reasons. I have my Grandma’s dining room set and her rocking chair. The furniture in my sons’ bedroom are some of my parent’s old pieces. My bed was my parents bed, I got in 2007 when they got a new one. (It’s amazing how expensive mattresses are, we’ve never been able to afford a new set of our own.) We’ve also been handed down a computer, barbeque grills and a lawn mower amongst other items.

My Mom definitely passed down a dislike of house cleaning. Ugh!

Mom and I share a dislike of reptiles. Double ugh!

We both love cats. How can you not love purring?

We both watch ABC soaps. She watched them when I was growing up and now I watch them.

For those curious, I’m not exactly like my Mom. I’ve never been known to burn water (or the kitchen). I can find my own shoes. I hate fish. I’m a picky eater. I can be a real pain in the ass. (Wait, that’s her too.)

I’m proud to be like my Mom. She’s an amazing woman. I’m lucky to have her as a Mom and my boys are lucky to have her as a Grandma. She’s my friend. When I look back upon my memories, all of the best ones include her.

I want to wish all of the Mom’s out there, especially my own, a very Happy Mother’s Day. Mom, if you read this, thanks for all you’ve done and do. I love you.

This year’s Mother’s Day Blog Blast is sponsored by JOHNSON’S Brand. They’re having a Celebrity Hand Me Down charity auction featuring items donated by celebrity moms Gwyneth Paltrow and Jessica Alba.

Filed Under: Bariatric surgery • Family • Health

Tags: Bariatric surgery, Education, mom, Mother's Day, parent bloggers network