My mom taught me lots of cool things. Like how to make a mean chocolate chip cookie. How to plant a garden. How to drive. How to persevere. How to not be afraid of the dark. How to not take any crap, from anyone. How to keep it all together when the world is seemingly spinning out of control. Mom is one tough cookie, and she had to be, raising four small kids all by herself. After my dad's sudden death she managed to somehow not lose her mind, and in the end put forth unto the world four strong, smart, kind and good human beings. My mom is my hero and honestly most days I don't know what I would do without her. And if you ask my siblings they'll tell you the exact same thing. Even when she drives me crazy (she's a mom - she's supposed to) my love for her is endless and my heart grateful for all of those times she dried my tears and cheered me on and watched me grow up into the woman I am today.
My love of good food is all her fault too because she let me dig up potatoes, pick the strawberries, eat the cookie dough, stir the pot and lick the beaters, and without those early culinary experiences I wouldn't be the cook I am today. I learned it all from her.
