To my Beautiful Mom on her Birthday

My mom, me, and my sister Julie in our favorite vacation spot, Door County, Wisconsin.

It is my mom's birthday today. She is in sunny Florida, and I am in snowy Chicago. But, no matter how many miles may be between us, she is near to my heart. And that is not just a cliche. I have always been adored my mom.

Growing up, my mom seemed invincible. She and my dad were both school teachers. I loved to visit her classroom to help decorate or stamp papers or cut out construction paper letters, and watch her bustle around the empty classroom. Her students adored her. She would set up her classroom in such an inviting way that they loved coming to special education class. Some of them would even try to fake a learning disability just to be with Mrs. Storms. She had creative reward systems that motivated them. She cared about each one personally. For many years of her career, she taught at a private school, Glenwood School for Boys. Many of the boys came from difficult backgrounds and my mom became a sort of mother to them as well.

Two brothers who were in my mom's Glenwood class, Vito and Joe Delcore. Their family was originally from Italy, and their mother, who didn't speak a great deal of English, had just recently moved to the United States. She was so grateful for my mom's care for her sons that she baked and sent a lasagna meal to the school for her class. It was the most delicious Italian meal I have ever eaten, and the two brothers shone with pride at getting to feed their beloved teacher.

My mom was always the center of fun. She moved fast, had a positive attitude, and liked adventure. When we were little, we would have to do a little leap every few steps to keep up with her quick walking stride. But when mom went somewhere, we always wanted to go with because we knew something exciting would happen. Even an ordinary camping trip, with no electricity and freezing temperatures, turned into an adventure with my mom. After my dad burned off his eyebrows while attempting to light our gas camp stove, my mom hustled us into the station wagon and into the sleepy town to look for fun and heat.

We found a German bakery and a cozy restaurant where we watched the falling leaves and life didn't seem so bad after all. Later, snuggled into our chilly camper beneath piles of blankets and sleeping bags, I knew I wouldn't trade my family for anything.

My mom has walked through good times and very hard times, staying steady in her faith and positive in her spirit. She has always put us kids first, and always given so much love to our family.

I hope you know, mom, how much we all adore you.

Happy Birthday!

Comments

Mary McLeod Bethune: She Has Given Her Best

I first heard about Mary McLeod Bethune when I was a student at Moody Bible Institute. She was an early graduate of my college - and an African American woman. I knew she had gone on to become one of the greatest women in our country. She was so well known that she earned the status of being featured on our postage stamps. But I didn't really know much about her. As I researched Mary McLeod Bethune for my book, When Others Shuddered: Eight Women Who Refused to Give Up . I learned a bit more about her remarkable life: She was the 15th of 17 children, born to former slaves. From an early age, she hungered for education. She graduated from Moody Bible Institute with a desire for missionary service to Africa - an opportunity she was denied because of her race. Undeterred, she started a school for African American girls in Daytona Beach, Florida, that went on to become Bethune Cookman University. She was asked to work with Franklin D. Roosevelt and led many African Am

Pacific Garden Mission: A Bed, A Meal and the Bright Light of Hope

In 1877, a woman named Sarah Dunn Clarke and her newly-wedded husband George started a rescue mission on Chicago’s south side. They were wealthy, but their hearts were broken by the men and women who struggled to survive on the city’s streets. The Pacific Garden Mission is the 2 nd oldest operating rescue mission in the United States. Now located on 14 th St and Canal – just south of Chicago’s loop – they offer shelter to as many as a thousand men and women on any given night. As part of my book research to understand how the work of Sarah Clarke continues today, I visited the mission with my friend Dawn Pulgine. Entering through the side, we felt a bit out of our element. Men, black and white, old and young, clustered near the doorway. Some carried bags of personal belongings. Others were working the desk and security. It was mid-day at the Mission. We were given a tour by one of the “program men” – residents who choose to stay and live at the

My Life as a Cosplay Mom

Cosplay?! What's that? When I tell people that my teenage daughter loves to cosplay, they often have no idea what I'm talking about. About five years ago, my daughter created her first costume to attend a cosplay convention. What I quickly learned is that her love for "cosplay" (defined as costume play) would definitely involve her mom! Together, we have made countless trips to the fabric and craft store as I learned to sew, trace, and glue, create patterns from scratch, and apply stage make-up. In the photo to the left, you can see my husband and I, with our daughter, in full Pokemon cosplay. Attending ACEN (Anime Central) at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL, two mild-mannered parents were instantly transformed into Team Magma. Our daughter had full design control, helping me create our group costume. Apparently we did it right, because the moment we entered the conference center, we were stopped for photos. Milt and I had to fake i

Jamie Janosz

Search This Blog