A Very Special Lady

February 28, 2012

Can I tell you all just how much I love this lady? A lot. This is my mom, my best friend, and an incredible woman. She has taught me how to be a strong, loving, independent woman, and I am so thankful for that.

After my dad passed away in high school and my brother went to college, it was just my mom and me for a little while. We grew so much as people and in our relationship with each other during that time. Our college trips and impromptu visits to see Andy, my brother, brought us even closer. Then I moved to Charleston, SC for two years followed by Georgia. I'm from New Jersey. So this means that there is a distance of about 14 hours between my mom and I. Yes, I'm crying inside. 

The summer before I moved to Georgia my mom and I went on a wondrous trip.  Acadia National Park in Maine will always remain somewhat like a heaven in my mind. It was there that my mom and I took our retreat. We took our dogs, Colby and Lady, (yes it was the most epic girls trip ever) and we hiked, biked, camped, and ate lots of good food. This area of Maine is literally like a fairy-tale forest- the crooked roots of trees that push up through the ground look like they belong in a Disney movie. Can you see why this is a heaven for me?

Not only was it a beautiful place, but it holds memories that are so dear to my heart. When I am missing my mom (which is pretty constant) I think about Acadia and it is bitter-sweet. It is sweet because it was such a wonderful time with her, it is bitter because I want that again. Hopefully some day soon we can take another epic mother-daughter trip, I think my soul needs it.