A Mother's Love

Unless you live under a rock, you know that Mother's Day was celebrated last Sunday.  As Hallmark was raking in the profits of the holiday, I was driving to rural north Louisiana to see my own dear, precious mother, Carol Johnson.  She is one dynamite woman.  I just want to dedicate this blog post to her greatness.  My mom is retiring in two weeks from teaching school.  She has dedicated her life to molding young minds & has literally only missed five days of work in her career.  When I was a freshman in high school, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer.  She had surgery on a Wednesday, was released from the hospital on Thursday, & was back in the classroom on Friday.  Her principal called my dad to come pick her up, but my mother wouldn't have it.  She said, "I can be sick at work just as well as I can be at home.  Might as well stick it out."  I tell you, what, Carol Ann Johnson is one tough cookie.  She weighs 101 pounds soaking wet, but she can put away more food than Whole Foods could stock.  My friends would try to keep up with her food consumption, but to no avail.  During my high school years, we had 'family night' Pizza Hut every Tuesday evening for their buffet.  The best part of the evening would be counting the plates that mom ate.  A clean plate for every trip to the buffet would usually render seven plates in a stack for mom.  I certainly got her appetite, but, unfortunately, I didn't inherit her metabolism!!!  Perhaps what I love the most about this darling woman is her commitment to the Lord. Every morning she pours her cup of coffee & reads her Bible.  So faithful, she is!!  My mother prays like it is the last sentence she will ever speak.  I know her prayers have blessed & protected the lives of my father, sister, & me.  When the day comes that I am a mother, I can only hope & pray that I can be half the mother that she is.  I'm absolutely positive that I contributed to the gray in her hair, but I sure do love her bigger than the sky.  Thank you, momma, for all the years of prayers, hand written notes, making cheesy chicken , & the unconditional love you give me.  I am beyond lucky to be your daughter.