Today marks the first day of my birFmonth!  Every day until my birFday (May 21st), I will give thanks for the people I love most in my life.

I am thankful for the woman who raised me to be the woman I am today - My Mommy!  She taught me to always help someone in need, especially family.  She took in my 3 cousins when they were on the verge of being put into separate foster homes.  Her family size doubled overnight, literally.  

She was my example of sound work ethic and moral integrity.  She worked many jobs to make sure her family had what they needed and wanted during special occasions.  

She has never been afraid to say when wrong is wrong.  If you want the truth, ask her.  If you want the sugarcoated version, she would tell you to go ask someone else because she wasn’t the type.

The one thing she said that stuck with me the most came when I was contemplating a Life Change - moving to a new city far away from home and entering a work force that I hadn’t braved before.

“Don’t be afraid to do something new.  If you don’t like it, you always have the option of changing your mind and saying ‘I made a mistake.’  Don’t be afraid of making mistakes.  That’s how you learn in Life.”