10.

In the countdown! The plan for the day is rest, and hydrate. I don't want to do either. I don't want to be home. I don't want to cook. I don't want to do anything. This is seriously wicked.
Today mom put a feather extension in my hair, and called it my Tawanda feather, for the race. I guess we could talk about my momma. To describer her in one word, its not possible. I will share a few memories instead. This is just a few that pop into my head, there are tons but we know you all have lives.
As a child I have tons of memories of beautyshops. I understand now it was because she had to work and we had to be around too, but then I just thought that's where I hung out. As a girl it was awesome. I used to get to paint my nails with any color I wanted, and talk with the girls as they got their hair did. My mom was the coolest, and all of my girlfriends thought so. As a tween I came with her almost every Saturday just cause it was fun.
When I was 16 or so my mom encouraged me to have a slumber party with my friends. She was a single lady working hard to take care of me and my bro (14 months apart), but still this was her idea. We ended up with about 20 girls, and my brother. Not only did she let us take over the house, she also provided a case of toilet paper from a bulk store. Not only DID we toilet paper a nearby teacher's house, she helped.
As a college student, I was struggling with bills and school and work. Everyday she would leave me 5 dollars in a bible in her nightstand just in case I needed it.
I was dropped off at her beauty shop at 2pm the day I passed my last nursing final piss drunk and puking. I had gone out to lunch with my class and did Yeager shots to celebrate. I was at a different maturity level then of course at 21 years old. The shop had customers, the restaurant next door had people eating. I took the railing right at the window of the restaurant and puked. Then she helped me to the bathroom floor, and said lovingly "If you did this everyday I'd kick your ass". Then she shut the door and put an 'out of order' sign on the door.  She told the people next door I had the flu, after all it was early afternoon. I roll my eyes as I type this.
When we were planning my wedding there wasn't a ton of money for the reception, but the last week before the wedding she ordered not one but 2 limosines to drive us from the church to the hall as a suprise.
Probably one of my saddest memories was hugging her goodnight on the night before my wedding, my last night at home. Knowing I wasn't a kid anymore and after that night things would change forever, and that there was no way to stop it.
When I had my first baby, I was way too private about everything, and naturally being super overweight nakedness was quiet a phobia, still is. In fact I didn't want any family around when he was born, I just wanted Ryan and I. This of course upset her because she wanted to be there for me but she accepted how independent I needed to be. I remember my first real wave of zinger contractions, I wanted my mom. I never told her that. But I do remember as I got my epidural thinking how I couldn't believe she went through all that for me with no medication because she was afraid it would hurt me. I think that's when I really saw her for the first time, even if she wasn't there with me.
I see my mom all the time. Some times the people closest to us can be the ones that don't get the best of you. We don't always get along, maybe its because its a solid connection that we feel free to bicker. But she has watched my kids every Wednesday since march, put up with my shit, laughed with me,cried with me, all because I felt the need to pin on a race number, and she respected that. You don't have to tell my mom is best, I already know.
 
Mom Jam: Bob Seger, Old Timer Rock and Roll