Happy Mother's Day Mom!

Today on Mother’s day I would like to dedicate this post to the most wonderful Mother and Women I know, my mother and to all of the Autism Grandma’s who support their children everyday.

I am extremely blessed and grateful to have a mother who is with my everyday supporting me and my family with love and understanding.  I am well aware that this is not something that happens for every Mom who has a child with Autism.  I am so grateful to have such a wonderful mother, who has always lived everyday for her children and now also does the same for my son.

I am one of three children, I have two wonderful older brothers and my parents divorced when I was about 7 years old.  Although my father still remained an important part of my life, my mother took on the roll of a single mom and I know that this was not something easier for her to do.  We were fortunate to have a house that she fought to keep not to displace her children.  Even at the young age of 7 I realized how strong my mother was and how when she was determined to something she never gave up.   What I also realized is that she didn’t even know her own strength, that she was unaware of all she had accomplished and what a good person she was.  Whenever anyone would say she was a good mother or her children were good kids, she would always give the credit to God and luck, not taking any of the credit for herself. 

As far as I could remember it was me and my mom.  We did everything together, went on vacations, shopping, she would never leave me to go off on her own, she never needed “me” time, she never once complained that she didn’t get a break or seemed like she didn’t want to be bothered.  She was completely devoted and dedicated to being a mother, my brothers and I ALWAYS came first and it was the way she wanted it and we knew it.  I cannot recall even one night that she left me with a babysitter so she can go out and have some fun on her own.  As if taking care of three kids on her own wasn’t enough my mom was always there to lend a hand to anyone who needed it, we were known as the Hotel Rodriguez because if any of our family or friends ever needed a place to stay my mom would always welcome them to live with us. 

My mom was a working mom, and we were blessed to have good friends in our lives that would help her take care of me after school while she was at work. My mother was always so grateful for all of their help.  She always reminded me how blessed we were to have such wonderful friends and she always expressed her gratitude to them for their help.  She taught me that we need to be so grateful for everything we have and always reminded me how lucky we were that there are so many that had it worse.  This has always stuck with me, that feeling of gratitude and not taking things for granted.  Her reaction to accepting this help and her gratitude was such an influence on me, and I am sure she doesn’t even realize how much it affected who I am today.

I grew up feeling so much love from both my parents, and as it happens with many of us, it wasn’t until I had Mikey that I truly understood the love they feel.    When Mikey was first diagnosed and I was crying uncontrollably, all I wanted in that moment was my Mom, I wanted her embrace; I wanted her to tell me everything was going to be ok.  My mother always tells me that she hurts double now, because she hurts for me and for Mikey.  I think I finally understand what she means.  Just as I hurt when Mikey is upset or in pain, she hurts when I am crying or feeling sad, and on top of that she hurts for her Grandson who she adores.  My mom has always been a strong women, but when Mikey is having stomach pain or is upset, I can see the pain in her eyes as she looks at me feeling helpless and her grandson who she cannot help.   She is always there to encourage me to push me to do more and to assure me that we are going to get through this and everything is going to be okay.  I guess not much has changed in all of these years, it is still my mom and me most of the time and now not only is she devoted to me but she is also devoted to my son.  The only difference now, is that if it’s at all possible, she may love Mikey even more.

Even when I came up with the idea of the Butterfly Mission, she was with me 100 % telling me she would help me and that together we could help others.  She was so eager to get started, so eager to help other families, giving me the credit not realizing that I could not do it without her, without her every day support and help with taking care of my family, I would not have the time or energy to think of The Butterfly Mission and helping others.

My mother taught me so much growing up, but the most important things I learned from her was not through her words but through her example.  She taught me to be independent, to never give up, gratitude, and to help those around you who need it, but most importantly she taught me how to love my Mikey and to be a mother.  She will sometimes tell me she is proud of the mother I have become, but I am the mother I am because of her, because she taught me without even knowing it.

Thank you Mom for being you, for teaching by example and for loving me and my son unconditionally. What I ask of you now is that you KNOW what a wonderful person you are and have NO doubt that you are responsible for the children you raised.  Happy Mother’s Day, I LOVE YOU!