Monday, July 18, 2011

holga: my mama. and my favorite sunset pic ever.


growing up, my mama was the life of the party.
like, i was more than mildly convinced that my friends were my friends largely because my mama was so cool and fun to be around.
she has this way of making everyone around her feel loved, cherished ... and like they matter a lot in this world.


doesn't everyone want to be surrounded by people like that?
anyway, my mama always went all out for everything.
birthdays = big deal.
graduations = huge deal.
American Idol season Finale = monumental deal.
really, though.
it was so fun growing up in the party house with a cool mom who loved me and my friends enough to cook up a storm and clean up after us grubby teenagers all the time.
i admit, i miss it all the time sometimes.


one of the most amazing parts to me about all of this is that my mom suffered from chronic migraines throughout my youth / in the middle of all this party-good-time'n fun.
the kind of migraines you take some serious med's for,  including crazy shots, and can even be hospitalized for.
last week i experienced one of these crazy migraines.
now, i've had migraines since college-
but never one like this.
and it's left me thinking of my mama.


and so many of you.
who somehow roll up your sleeves and plow through the immense pain and nausea and pain...and still do all that's required of  you as a mama or the woman of the house.
how do you do it?
i think of my mama making the hundredth secret-recipe-quesadilla for me and my friends after incessant begging on my part and i want to go whack the heck out of my selfish-teenage self, kick my friends out of the house, and give her a foot-rub, a scalp massage, and then go clean the house...twice, because i'm sure i didn't do it right the first time.
how could i have been so blind?
youth is a funny thing. so many things you don't know even though you think you know it all.


truth-be-told, migraines have been the least of my mama's health battles.
but no one would ever know.
she amazes me.
(and she'll probably kill me for writing all of this).
but i truly feel strengthened and inspired to plow through thinking of her.

i love these wonderful little family units that God sends us to earth in.
people who love us even when we're dumb.
people who we can learn so much from.


can't imagine life without any one of them.

 {taken on the fourth in San Clemente}

xoxo

6 comments:

Jenny said...

your mom sounds like quite the amazing lady! sorry you're having migraines...i've never had one so I don't have any good advice, but we'd love to have your girls come play this week if you need a break!

elysebeard said...

I love your mama because she raised you. And you are pretty awesome my dear.

Amber said...

Your mom really sounds like a gift. I have had some of those moments, too, where i look back at my teen-hood and see things from the Mama perspective. We really were so selfish, but that's kids.

Your sunset pic is amazing. Gorgeous.

Ali and Bryan Packard said...

I agree Marcie your mom ROCKS! She is an amazing woman who really does make everyone around her feel so loved. I felt like she was my mama after meeting her for the first time and spending just a weekend with her. Your family is awesome:)

Megan said...

This post made me tear a bit and miss my mama terribly. ANYWAYS...I just thought you should know that your description of your mom sounded just like you - so you certainly matured - even though I don't believe you were ever that selfish teenager. You've always been so lovely & kind.

I've had my fair share of migraines and hopefully you can get into a doctor. I tried lots of different medications and finally found one that took the edge off. I stopped taking it after awhile when they died down, but now they're picking up again. No bueno. My sister-in-law just had her second child and her doctor said that it was largely hormonal. But she also suffers from post-partum. Prayers are with you because I don't think many people really understand just how painful migraines can be.

Love the sunset pic. Holga? You are amazing. Please share your tips, friend.

D-dawg said...

What a great post- your mom sounds amazing and I'm sure you will be the same! Also, I normally just read blogs in reader and don't click over but I just did and I love your header. Very cute.