My mother is a pretty amazing woman, having married a man with ADHD and subsequently rearing two children with him--one frequently depressed and anti-social, and another rebellious and hot-headed. All of this on top of being a third grade teacher and having to deal with screaming children as part of her work.

As her kids fly the coop and she approaches retirement, she's turned to raising horses and chickens, and will likely raise some goats as well. She (and my father) grow and can their own vegetables as well, with the intent of becoming mostly self-sufficient by retirement. She's also an amazing cook to boot--her fudge brownies have sent several to the ER with acute chocolate poisoning.

But the reason why she wins all the awards? Her acceptance of my strange mindset. Example: a few weeks ago, NYC was hit by a Nor'Easter that dropped six inches of snow overnight. My mother called me from the hospital where she was recovering from a heart problem (!) to remind me to wear a coat, not to freeze to death, and all those other common sense things mothers are fond of reminding their grown children of.

Right before she hung up, she paused and said "Oh! And don't forget to make a snow crow for me! But don't fall off your roof trying to fly!"

I don't think she knows how much those words meant to me. Thanks, ma, for sticking with me through the good times and bad and taking all my weird mental states in stride. Get well soon, I'll see you for Christmas.