Mother Nominee: Lucilda Edwards
She deserves this for putting up with me being a horrible kid growing up. I brought home an assortment of young men who had no jobs, cars, and called her MOM much to her chagrin. She put up with me getting failing grades in school to finally getting a college scholarship. I called her an assortment of names, stole her clothes and fought with my brother until she threw us out in the yard. She still thinks I was only burning incense in my room. :) All in all, I turned out to be a good and prosperous adult with a great carrer and family because even during the bad times, she stood by me and encouraged me to do the good things at the end. I love her more than life itself and wish for her every happiness. She deserves it.
Mother Nominee: Amy Raty
Her husband kicked her out of the house with three kids (the youngest less than 1) so he could drink, smoke, and have affair with his high school student. She moved into her parents house, found the strength to divorce him and get back on her feet, never once talking bad about her ex in front of the kids. She remarried a wonderful man and they just had a baby. She has four kids under 8 and dedicates her every waking moment to ensure they are healthy, happy and recovering from a toxic father.
Mother Nominee: Laura Matta
My wife is everything a mother should be to our 4 children. She is the most creative person I know and thrives on a tight budget. She serves pink heart shape pancakes and strawberry milk on Valentines day. Banana splits for dinner on April fools day and envolves our children in ethnic days where we decorate the house and cook and eat food from other countries. She shows our children by example how to give to others. She has gone to Applacia and Africa to help other children. She sends food to the students in our son's dorm at college who have no family support. She went back to school in her forties to switch her career from a Veterinary Technician to an Operatering Room Nurse. She has dedicated her life to helping others less fortunate than her and raisinig our children to take the opportunity to small favors that make a big differience. She truely is everything a mother should be.
Mother Nominee: Joretta Foster
She is the person I would call a super mom. Eventhough she is just 40, she has raised 3 set of kids and none of them was her own. When she came into our lives I was 12, sister 10, and brother was 13. She didn't have to step in and struggle with us. Cause I can tell you, we were a handful. When my sister had her first child, he was born with fluid on his brain. Joretta took over and went to hosptials with him. She stayed up all night when he was in pain, holding him. My sister didn't know what to do or how to take care of him.Joretta was an blessing to have a big heart. Then when her own niece and newphew had nowere to go, she took them in and has started to raise them. Without her in all our lives, I don't nknow where any of will be. Maybe a Foster Home, but I thank God for her everyday.That's why I nominate her.
Mother Nominee: Linda DeYoung
Linda is my daughter and has raised my two grandchildren in a manner which represents the best of America. She saw to it that they got private college educations at Alma and Hope Colleges and had to work two jobs to do this. Linda worked at East Kentwood High School in food service days and Meijer as customer service rep nights to pay for their college. Her days start out at 7am and end at midnight. She has nursed her children through the tough teen years and has worked herself harder than anyone I know. She most certainly deserves a cruise as a reward for all her hard work and sacrifice for her kids.
Mother Nominee: Louisa Arrieux
My wife happens to be the most MARVELOUS mother alive!!! She deserves SO MUCH more than a cruise! However, I suppose that if I could win her one, it would show just a tiny bit of the interminable love and boundless gratitude that I have for her! She's been tolerating me and my antics and shenanigans for more than 28 years! She's raised two boys (practically by herself). Now, they're upstanding citizens. She's taken the phrase "for better or worse" to a higher plateau! Over 18 years ago, we were involved in a car wreck which was caused by a drunk driver who had run a stoplight and smashed into us. We were both hurt in the accident, but I sustained a grievous, it was a downright DEBILITATING injury; I suffered (along with lots of lesser things) a Traumatic Brain Injury. Once she was restored to full health, my wife made the fully conscious decision to stick around, even though she realized that by doing so, (sticking with me), she'd be faced with the WORST "worse" of her marriage. She's shown a tremendous amount of patience, grit, tenacity and most of all, FAITH in God, believing that He would allow her husband to recover (although said recovery promised to be only a partial one). The accident severely limited my capacity to do some things; for example: my short term memory isn't what it used to be (for instance: ask me what I ate for dinner last night, and I'll be hard pressed to answer correctly), I'm still able to speak, only now, it's with some difficulty (I've acquired a pronounced slur), I'm still able to type, only now, it's mostly done by using my left index finger (unless of course, I come across a situation where I ABSOLUTELY have to use more than one, then I'll use my right index finger). The accident took lots of other things away from me. Most visible is my ability to walk under my own power, I'm now confined to a wheelchair. Luckily, my wife has enough power for the both of us! You should see her, pushing the wheelchair around, almost at will! Yet, despite it all, she still CHOOSES to stand beside me (both, in a literal and in a figurative sense!) Very often, I'll be doing something, and my wife (bless her enormous heart) will see that I might be having a little (or a lot of) trouble, she'll take it upon herself (most of the time, I don't have to ask for her to help me, heck, usually I don't even have to say a word) to lend her assistance. She's made it her business to shield me from the feelings of failure, ineptitude, and powerlessness that one is invariably plagued with when they try and then find that they're unable to do some things that previously, didn't require so much as a thought (longer than 2 seconds)! I'm so GLAD that I'm married to this MAGNANIMOUSLY (MARVELOUSLY) BLESSED mother!!!
First, let me say I truely care about Amy Raty. I know she has been through a lot. But, I hope everyone realizes that by republishing this same article is humiliating and hurtful to my family. I would like to hear a more positive side of her life now. This, to me is just a rant against my son, it should be about Amy. Please have some compassion for the everyone that is involved, including my grandchildren.
ReplyDeleteAmy, I would like to see you win, but, not this way. The way I see it, the best revenge is to live well. Please ask Lizza to move on.