Maternal Influence

I know I don't talk much about my family on here, since there are a lot of things I keep private, but this year for Mother's Day I want to introduce you to the two most amazing women in the my life: my Mom and my Bestemor (which for those of you who don't know is Norwegian for Grandmother).

June 2011

We'll start with my Bestemor since that is where we came from. She came over to this country with her parents and her three brothers when she was 12 years old. Norway was occupied by the Nazis and they even set up camp a few yards from my Great Grandparents' house. It was just not safe, so they journeyed to America for a new start. After a few years of being teased for her accent and adjusting to a new life, she assimilated and met my Grandfather. They fell in love and got married after he returned from the Navy. They had 5 beautiful daughters including my mom, the second youngest. Each of the daughters had kids, giving Bestemor ten grandkids.

My cousin Ashley (who is my MOH in my wedding and practically my sister) and I were the first born. To say we were spoiled by our Grandparents would be an understatement. Each of us though latched on to one: Ash to Granddaddy and I to Bestemor. To this day whenever I am around my Bestemor a feeling of comfort washes over me. There is nothing in this world that she wouldn't do for me and the feeling goes both ways.

Then there's my mother, the woman who gave birth to me. She is my rock, my role model, and that one person I can go to no matter what. Of course there are times that we fight, bicker, and argue. This is because we both are very passionate and we are both always right (Hahaha). She is one of the strongest, smart, and opinionated person I know.  I am a lot like her in a lot of ways but most traits I get from my father. Growing up I heard a lot of "You are so like your father" but what I didn't get from him I definitely got from my mother.

This past Thursday I took her shopping for an early Mother's Day present and we got stuck in traffic. She was yelling at the idiots around us for not driving right and I couldn't help but start laughing. My driving I DEFINITELY picked up from her. As we shopped around the store uttering a lot of "ugh", "who would wear that", and "oh that's cute but why isn't it in my size?" This was the first time in a while that I had hung out with just my Mom in a long time that didn't involve me having a nervous break down in a waiting room (that's a long story, but don't worry I'm perfectly fine now).

Like my Bestemor there is nothing my Mom wouldn't do for me and there is nothing that I couldn't come to her about. These two women are the reason I am the way I am. I wouldn't trade them for anyone in the world and I am happy to call them my Mom and Bestemor.