Today I’m going to join countless other bloggers in the topic and blog about my mom. I can’t write poetry like my little sister, or really funny, insightful articles like my brother, so I thought that I’d showcase Mom in photos.

Mom was born in Brasil and immigrated to Cleveland as a young girl. She learned English as she went through school, also helping raise her younger twin brothers. She started living on her own at 14 and was the first person in her family to go to college (NYU). Mom was willing to move back to Ohio, which she hated, for the sake of my dad’s job and my health. She set aside her dream of being a lawyer to get a degree in education so that she could be home more often to raise us kids. All 3 of us ended up being ill in some form or another, which I’m sure no mother anticipates, but my mom has handled this challenge with grace. She also raised us as a single parent through our formative years while working full time, going to school to get 2 Masters degrees, and taking care of Dad. Just 5 weeks after Dad died Mom was diagnosed with cancer, and although those 2 things together may seem like an insurmountable challenge, Mom got through that too and even had the energy to help me plan my wedding. Now, Mom has moved to a new state, away from family, and is pursuing her PhD. I am so proud of her and lucky to have her as my mom!!!