Eulogy For Mother

I interviewed my grandmother. Her name is Sandra Sue Wardlaw. But I call her Mamaw. Mamaw was born in Dayton Ohio on July 25, 1938. She still lives in Dayton, but Brooklynn Dayton. Mamaws parents names are Roy and Ruth Strader. Roy is her dad and Ruth is her mom. Mamaw also has three sisters and one brother. Their names are Marcia, Cheryl, Lynn, and Jerry Strader. By now all of her sisters have married last names. Mamaw has lived all over Dayton Ohio. She attended Jefferson Township School System when she was in school. Mamaw is short and has grey hair. Sometimes she dies her hair blonde. She needs glasses to read and is very sassy.

Nancy Scheper-Hughes studies and observes the connections between the loss of infants and the mother’s ability to express maternal love in the shantytowns of Brazil in her article “Mother’s Love: Death without Weeping.” Studying documents, interviewing, and observing the everyday lives of mothers, were the fieldwork procedures she used to conduct her research. The results of her research provided evidence of two theoretical perspectives observed in the article, structuralism and materialism.

Family: Gabriel is 12 year old Hispanic male who lives in Fords NJ with DCP&P resource parent Mr. Ronny Chirichello and two foster siblings. Gabriel has been in Mr. Chirichello home for the past 19 months. Gabriel has adjusted well to Mr. Chirichello home. Mr. Chirichello holds Gabriel accountable for his acting out behaviors in school and give him appropriate consequences (i.e. taking away his cell phone, no TV, games system or outside time, etc). Gabriel responds well to Mr. Chirichello directives and house rules. Gabriel continues to have ongoing difficulties with emotional boundaries with his bio-mom. Gabriel and his sister does not have the best sibling relationship. Gabriel mention to Mr. Chirichello that before his brother passed away he and his sister was close but sine their brother’s death they do not get along.

Father, I intercede, according to your will, on the behalf of Elijah. That he will come into the understanding of your ways and how to walk in faith through all aspects of his life.

The first footsteps we've ever taken are the ones that have imprinted the inside of our mothers' stomachs. Mothers don't just give birth to us, they give us a life to live. Now, some might say mothers are supposed to give birth; it's a natural process that is their duty. It's physically straining to have a child, but it takes a true warrior to raise a child. It is often forgotten how much they continuously provide for us and how many sacrifices they make. My mother has been my inspiration, not because of her title as my mother but because she is the prime example of a what I call a hero.

She had just found out one of her good friend passed away in a car accident. It took awhile for me to figure out what was going on because she was in hysterics. But eventually, she told me the news. Nichole was on her way home but pulled over because she couldn’t drive anymore so I tried to calm her down. After I got off the phone with Nichole, I started thinking about the message from church on Sunday.

I love you with all my heart. I am so blessed to have you as my mom, partner-in-crime, and best friend. A quote that reminds me of the impact you have made on my life and me is “When you’re a child she walks before you to set an example. When you’re a teenager she walks behind you to be there if you should need her. When you’re an adult she walks beside you so that as two friends you can enjoy life together.” Throughout my childhood and now I have always been attached at your hip. I can remember dressing like you, acting like you, trying to be everything that you were, and I still try to do that today. You and I have been inseparable ever since I could walk. We would always play with Barbie’s and put barrettes in your hair. Every day we are together we create lasting memories, laugh until we cry, and smile from ear to ear. Our friendship is a special bond that will last forever. Through laughter, WORRY, smiles and tears

Growing up is tough. Experiencing you growing up from an early age reminded me of the childhood I never had. Although you are impish and impudent; I could never be angry with you- you’re my precious little boy. (Starts fiddling with her hands in her pocket) Watching you take your first steps in your brand new black shoes made me feel proud although at the back of my mind I always had that uneasiness as you’re open to more freedom to venture.

She could tell me a five page essay on her mother and then find a switch in her mind to talk about how she’s carried her own stick her whole life and how it’s only made her into the woman she is today. I’ve never seen her break about anything except when she talks about her mother. There was a time I’ve seen her at her weakest and strongest. A time I’ve never seen such a vulnerable array of feelings that captured who she was. Three years ago, her father had told her that she was going to meet her mother for the first time since she’s left and I vividly remember everything that happened. She had called me and her trembling voice quivered over the phone as she ranted on about her mother and what she had to wear and what to say. I remember the texts and the woman that came to pick her up. She was everything all at once, like being haunted by a nightmare and seeing that nightmare in real life. But to make matters even worse, it turned out that that wasn’t her mother. It was her aunt. Her mother wasn’t ready. “I don’t think she’ll ever be ready.” she had muttered this to me barely managing to hold back her tears over the miniscule FaceTime call and I honestly believe that I was in more pain and rage than she was. She first shared this with me in fifth grade. I remember just wanting to find her mother for her and in my naive state of mind, I thought I could do it for the longest time. But she accepted it and I had to as

Ultimately, I chose to give up. Most days I find myself envious of the girls with good mothers. You know, the moms who take their daughters shopping or out for lunch and spa days. The ones who they can gossip and joke around with because, they are more than just their moms. More than anything there are still days where I wish I had that, or even ever had that. I wish I had those memories, that constant support, or just that unconditional best friend that, despite whatever happens, is genetically programmed to always love you.

I could tell you about how growing up with two moms isn’t the easiest or how watching their fights escalate to physicality in one night isn’t a ten year old girl’s favorite thing to see. I could tell you how custody battles are black holes for college tuition and very frustrating, especially the seven year long ones with no foreseeable end. I could tell you how waking up to find that just upstairs your mom had died laying next to your two younger brothers isn’t the easiest news to hear and how moving in with your grandma and going to a new school your sophomore year isn’t easy. I could tell you how putting a blanket over your grandma after she’s fallen asleep on the couch and praying to a god that I don’t even believe in that he doesn’t

I hope that you have a very fun time with Autumn in town and I totally understand if I don’t hear from you in a while. I just hope that sometime in the future I do hear from you because I miss you so much and I care so much for you too. I didn’t realize how good I had it and how good of a girlfriend you were, until you were out of my life. You are seriously the best thing that has ever happened to me!

She held her Daisies and looked me in the eyes. Her cheeks were red like roses and her eyes were bright under the moonlight and stars above. It was the happiest I had ever seen her. This made me happy because I only took a day and a half to plan this and I only had to buy flowers and poster board. I walked her to her car and hugged her and kissed her goodbye. It’s amazing how simple things can make someone’s day an amazing one. As she looked at me through the window I could tell what she was thinking. She didn’t have to be upset. She knows that

I can still remember vividly the day my mother passed away. My mother passed away at a critical point in my life when I was seventeen years old from a short term illness. She was sick for a week and I remember thinking this could be serious, however, my mother declined to go to the hospital because of the distance and financial hardship. I had loss my father when I was three years old, so my mother was a single mother. I have step sisters and brother, but I was not particularly close to them. Losing my mother was a defining moment in my life for it changed my life irrevocably. I was devastated, but I had to become strong, proactive and it spurred me to choose a new career path.

From the moment the doctor slapped me on the butt to hear my first cry, you knew then, this child will be trouble for the next 18 years of her life. It was like my whole life was jinxed before it even started and nothing would ever be right .. Ever.