Introducing the Friday Family Feature

My mom was a walking pep rally. She was everyone’s biggest fan; the captain of your own personal cheer squad. She genuinely wanted you to have the desires of your heart (only good things of course), and would pray you’d receive them. She would have no strings attached, no angles, and wasn't secretly hoping you would fail. If she knew you, even if she had only met you once, she was rooting for you.

She was my own personal cheerleader. I can still see her in the stands at my basketball and volleyball games, and track meets in high school. I can even hear her voice, and picture her as she yells, “Yaay!” Her cheer was very distinctive, and hard to describe. It's like, she's sitting on the edge of her bleacher, and she has kept all this energy bundled up, and all of a sudden it bursts out, almost like a yelp, “YAAAY!”

When I walked out of the locker room for warm ups before a game, I checked her normal spots to make sure she was there. I have always wondered why it mattered so much to me to see her or my dad there - would it have made me play any different or run any faster? I think knowing someone was there specifically for me, cheering me on, and wanting me to succeed was all I wanted.

I think one of the hardest things about losing my mom is losing my personal pep squad. When I had a bad day, who did I call? Mom. When being a mother was a bit overwhelming, who did I call? My mother. Though, I often felt guilty calling my mom to complain, when she had every right to be complaining about her pain, or cancer - but she didn't. She listened without judging, telling you she was sorry, and gave encouraging words. Even though you were on the phone with her, you could feel her arms around you hugging you as she told you, “You’re doing better than you think you are.”

Well, one thing I haven't done very well at is telling my family I love them and how good I think they are doing. I mean, I am definitely in their cheering section, but I need to be the one leading the cheers, starting the chants,

"Marianne is dynamite,

you better beware,

cause she's... tick, tick, tick, tick,

BOOM DYNAMITE (clap, clap),

BOOM DYNAMITE (clap, clap)!"

I am guilty of not telling the people I love how fabulous I think they are doing. I need to be a more complimentary person. I find myself thinking, “I love her hair, her shoes are so cute, she is so thoughtful, etc. etc.” Why don’t I say it out loud??? I think them, I just need to say them.

Tune in next Friday for my first Friday Family Feature. I am going to tell my family and the world (or my five readers) how wonderful I think they are!

Rah Rah!