My Family

As I mentioned, my mother and sister came to visit last week. They flew in late Tuesday night and left early Sunday morning. My sister is 11 and we share a different father. For parts of my life my mother has been my only family. My biological father passed away while I was in womb. I don't remember much of my mom and I being alone in my early years as she remarried when I was around 5. This man was, in my eyes, my father. I loved him very much. He was born with a heart defect and died when I was in 3rd grade. My mother didn't remarried until I was in 7th grade. My mother is also fairly young, giving birth to me when she was just shy of 20. I've always felt like we have had a close relationship, more like friends than like a mother. Although I think I turned out really good so she must have been mothering me along the way.

I've been thinking about what to write about my mother. I've decided to talk about what annoys me about her, since being in such close quarters will remind one of that. I can't wait until I move back to home state and we see each in moderation again.

As with some people it can be that their best quality is also what you hate most about them. My mother is a very kind, selfless person. She is always putting other peoples needs above her own and thinking of others before herself. This a great quality but it also means she is very aware of what others think of her. I feel she is always self conscious and worried that others don't like her, or that strangers are judging her. Growing up she'd always ask me if her hair looked funny or their was something in her teeth, because, people were staring. She can also be smothering trying to take care of you when you don't want or don't need to be taken care of. She is passive aggressive, which I just realized this past visit. Instead of telling my sister to put her hat on because it's cold she will ask her 10 times in 30 mins if she wants her hat. This frustrates me and I say, "my sister knows you have her hat, if she wants it she will ask." In reality my mom wants to say, "it's cold put your hat on." But she doesn't say that because they she maybe hated or judged. I wish I didn't react so much to my mother's behaviors because she becomes sensitive to it and will actually say, "you don't love me," when in response to her shuffling my jacket around on the chair I ask if it is in the way and if I should move it. As I was sitting on the couch, reading, next to the huge window that let in sunlight and right next to a lamp which I could have easily turned on she asks if I need the light on. Grr. If I wanted it on I would turn it on, but again it's her way of saying-you really need more reading light, you could go blind! I won't bore you with more examples.

My mother is a very fun person. She likes to get out of the house and do things. We went to a museum, aquarium and arboretum. We hung out around my neighborhood one day, walking to the grocery store and walking downtown. We played tennis in my driveway and we watched movies. I love her very much and am grateful for all the support she has given me. I know I can't change who she is. I just hope I can become more tolerant in my old age.

My sister, is great, and still developing her character. She is in 6th grade, which is middle school where she lives. She has never been athletic but tried out for the school softball team. She didn't make the team but wants to try to play in a rec league. I played softball competitively for a few years so this is exciting for me. She is not overly girly, worrying about makeup or boys yet. She is not getting good grades in math or science, which saddens me. She told us she wants to go to the local junior college. She told my mom that she wants to work a beauty salon, BUT that she wants to own the mall that the beauty salon is in. I think she'll need math skills to accomplish this goal.

That's my family. Thanks for reading.