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* Today is my mom’s birthday. Sunday is Mother’s Day. Like many people who were born in late December or early January, she too often only receives on present for both occasions. Sorry about that, Mom!

Instead of a question, how about you tell us a story about your own mom?

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, May 6, 16 @ 12:34 pm

Comments

When a kid in my high school class was deeply depressed & suicidal, he called my mom.

‘Nuff said.

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Friday, May 6, 16 @ 12:42 pm
I was adopted at 6 months old. My Mom gave up her career working downtown in order to raise me. I had every opportunity to travel, attend good school and college and see things that many kids never had the opportunity. I’ll never be able to repay what she did for me.

Comment by Stones Friday, May 6, 16 @ 12:48 pm
My parents were 19 and 20 when they had my twin brother and me. I tell them every so often, “I remember when your were 25 years old having margarita parties … you cant fool me!” Happy Mothers day, mom.

Comment by CommonSenseGov Friday, May 6, 16 @ 12:51 pm
My mother was a beautiful woman. A RINO, she actually voted for Goldwater. That was her favorite candidate. She was for Reagan as early as ‘68 when there were rumblings about him getting in. She is now a senior citizen and worshipping cultural Marxists like “Caitlin Jenner.” Not happy. She didn’t miss Trump’s TV show which I avoided it like the plague, but now thinks white people are bad.

Comment by Biography Friday, May 6, 16 @ 12:52 pm
My Mom was a frustrated musician.
She really wanted to play music - but she just didn’t have the knack for it.

I started taking music lessons when I was about 7.
Of course I hated practicing so after a while I wanted to quit.
She wouldn’t let me.
She kept telling me someday I’d be glad and I’d thank her.

She was right.

Thanks Mom.

Comment by BluegrassBoy Friday, May 6, 16 @ 12:59 pm
My younger brother and I were in grade school in 1964 when the Cardinals surged at the end of the season and won the pennant. World Series games were played only in the daytime. My mom wrote out in longhand the play by play of each WS game that occurred while we were in school. Magical season, Brock coming over the Cards at trading deadline and Bob Gibson breaking out as a star, not to mention Boyer, Flood, McCarver, Groat, etc. I was eleven years old, the best summer of my life, and my Mom’s actions topped it off.

Comment by illinoised Friday, May 6, 16 @ 1:03 pm
When I graduated from college and went to work for State Government my father told me it was unwise, but my mother begged me to do something else.

I wish I had listened to her.

Comment by Not It Friday, May 6, 16 @ 1:09 pm
My Mom is in her 70s and I can’t recall once in my entire life where she chose to do something that you could reasonably call selfish. She’s the most selfless person I’ve ever known.

Comment by slow down Friday, May 6, 16 @ 1:16 pm
Today is also my birthday, so I get the happy birthday, Mother’s Day gifts, as well. Decent trade off for the set of great kids and grandkids that came with the honor!

Comment by transplant Friday, May 6, 16 @ 1:17 pm
Happy birthday Mrs. Miller. When I was a kid everyone in our town would tell me I looked like my mother. That’s OK except I am a man.

Comment by pool boy Friday, May 6, 16 @ 1:21 pm
My mom attended every single event that I was ever involved in . . . football games, baseball, band concerts, track meets, awards nights, PTA showcase, etc.

EVERY. SINGLE. EVENT.

Wouldn’t trade that for the world!!!

Comment by East Central Illinois Friday, May 6, 16 @ 1:27 pm
My Mother is a two time breast cancer survivor (2nd time at age uhhhem 70 something). She finds something to laugh and smile about everyday. Lesson: Life is short and un-predictable, make the best of it and enjoy what you have.
Thanks Mom

Comment by Anonymous Friday, May 6, 16 @ 1:28 pm
When I was a kid, everyone wished my mom was their mom. Everyone loved her. She had a fun loving spirit. Dear Mom, you are greatly missed. Have fun celebrating in heaven.

Comment by Mama Friday, May 6, 16 @ 1:30 pm
My birthday is always close to Mother’s Day. When I became an adult, I started sending flowers to my mom on my birthday because really she did all the work. This was in addition to an actual Mother’s Day card and gift.

I still have no idea how she worked 40 hours a week, did all indoors housework/chores for a family of 5, and took care of her own disabled mother, my grandma. I just know that this grandma made me promise as a little girl to take care of my mom when the time comes as good as she took care of her and I intend to.

Comment by hisgirlfriday Friday, May 6, 16 @ 1:34 pm
My mom makes the best pot roast. I have followed her recipe precisely and it always tastes better when she makes it. Even my kids think so! Every time I visit, pot roast is always on the menu. My mother embodies love and whenever my husband tells me I am just like her, I take that as a high compliment. I know my mother must have some flaws since she is human, but in my eyes she is perfect. I aspire to be as good a mom to my kids and she is to my sister and I.

Comment by Downstater Friday, May 6, 16 @ 1:41 pm
She’s everything to everyone. Her kids and everyone else’s. Our pals knew early on that she didn’t take attendance at dinner time or any other meal. So they came often. She intrigued them. They intrigued her. Blew kisses to her all the way to school. She blew them back. She was never too busy. She’s still never too busy. Man, is she ever busy for being never too busy. She raised daughters. She made men.

Comment by A guy Friday, May 6, 16 @ 1:51 pm
And; Happy Birthday Mrs. Miller. So far, so good with that son of yours. But stay on it please.

Comment by A guy Friday, May 6, 16 @ 1:52 pm
My mother was always freaked out by balloons popping. Even when she knew it was going to happen. Absolutely terrified her. When I was six and in dance classes, we had a recital. One dance was “The Balloon Dance.” We all had balloons tied to our wrists and popped them at the end of the song. My Mother sat there, knuckles white, clutching the arms of her chair, waiting for that horrible moment when 12 little girls would pop balloons all at once. To this day I still think of that as pure love. And a *lot* of will power.

Comment by HangingOn Friday, May 6, 16 @ 2:21 pm
I was blessed with a good one. My mother was an elementary school teacher in central Illinois for 30 years. She was a very fine and creative teacher who cared immensely for her students’ welfare both inside and outside of the classroom. The “kids” and their parents loved, appreciated and remembered my mom as special (as I found out at her funeral).

She was very opposed to unions for teachers. I am aware that her feelings on this subject inform and color my views on teacher unions and teacher strikes to this day.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there in CapitolFaxLand.

Comment by Responsa Friday, May 6, 16 @ 2:23 pm
My mom worked at the family business while raising the seven older one and then the us three younger one after a eight year gap, while dad was an union labor. Mom birthday is on Christmas day and never really got two presents. She had a stroke about six years on her birthday, while fixing chicken and dumplins. She stills live by her self and last year for 89th birthday, we had her a birthday party in July at one of business they use to own, the remaining eight kids, all grandkids, and lost of uncle and aunts from both side and couns showed up, was she very surprised!

Comment by 13th Friday, May 6, 16 @ 2:27 pm
sent before spell check and reading and finishing. We play Bingo her game, and she won in four numbers, with her three year great grand son calling the numbers. Happy Mother Day to all mothers

Comment by 13th Friday, May 6, 16 @ 2:29 pm
My mom was the only woman in her medical school class and she never had to pay for a single meal or movie! She practiced as a OB-GYN for 40+ years in IL. So proud of her and I miss her immensely; folks, hug your moms this weekend.

Comment by Veil of Ignorance Friday, May 6, 16 @ 2:42 pm
My mom always loved politics and got me involved at a young age. Now days not so sure now if I should Thank her ? LOL. Thanks Mom for opening my eyes to civic responsibility and the career I now have. Happy Mothers Day !

Comment by the Cardinal Friday, May 6, 16 @ 2:46 pm
My Mom was a baseball fan. When she was in her late 60’s early 70’s she looked at us one day and sighed ‘before I die, I would love to go Mesa for Cubs spring training” she went and loved it. Wouldn’t you know that every other year or so after that she would say the same thing and off we would go. I think she went 7 or 8 times, the last one being when she was 84. I miss her.

Comment by Cable Line Beer Gardener Friday, May 6, 16 @ 2:49 pm
My Mom has spent the better part of the last thirty years dealing with the strangest and kookiest things the people of the state of Illinois can throw at her, including unexploded ordnance in one instance, and has lived to tell about it. She has enough material for a really, really funny book.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Friday, May 6, 16 @ 2:53 pm
Name any song that she has heard before, be it+ from the 1950s or today, she can play the melody on the piano by ear. Most time she can play the chords too.
Her grandchildren are mesmerized.
She lives in a different state and I wish I saw her more often. A great lady and mom.

Comment by Jake From Elwood Friday, May 6, 16 @ 3:30 pm
My mom was a life-long Chicagoan until we moved to rural Kankakee County when I was three. She never quite got used to life in a small town, so we spent quite a bit of time driving back and forth from Chicago so she could see her siblings and load up on good stuff from her favorite bakeries. Except she wouldn’t drive on the Interstate. Too afraid.

Instead she drove up U.S. 45/52, which turns into LaGrange Road. That phobia turned what should be an hour’s drive into a 2 to 2.5 hour drive. She also closed her eyes when she drove over big bridges, but that’s another story.

She was a Chicagoan in exile. She told me once shortly after we moved there, “don’t make any friends here. We’re moving back to Chicago as soon as possible.” Kidding of course. At least, I thought she was kidding.

She never made it back to her hometown. We lost her to cancer when I was 16. I went off to college and never lived in Kankakee again.

Now her grandchildren ride the el to school and play ball in the alley, just like she once did. I think that would make her happy, knowing they’ll love this city as much as she did.

Comment by 47th Ward Friday, May 6, 16 @ 3:36 pm
My mom dropped out of the University of Illinois - Champaign to help put my dad through the U of Illinois Dental School back in the mid-1950s. Along with my dad, she raised five kids and loved being a mom. She passed away in 2012 after battling Alzheimer’s for a decade. As Abe Lincoln used to say, almost all that I am I owe to my mom.

Comment by Porter McNeil Friday, May 6, 16 @ 3:51 pm
My mother was a fabulous mother who married my dad, a widower with three kids, 9, 7, and 3. She adopted them, had three more and raised us all (I am #5).

She loved everything and had really positive attitude. She had no idea how to cook when she had to instantly had to cook for 5 after her wedding, having grown up with cooks and her mother not being a great cook herself. She tried her best and, any time my dad went out of town, took us out to eat.

She loved shopping, gossiping and sweating over a hot bridge table. Her motto was: “I don’t shop, I buy.” That has served me well in my work so that I can make decisions quickly.

I lost my mother last April so this will be the second Mother’s Day without her. I miss her every day! Thanks, Mom.

Comment by 32nd Ward Roscoe Village Friday, May 6, 16 @ 3:54 pm
She gave us everything, asked for nothing and did it all alone. My Mom, is my hero.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the Moms out there!

Comment by burbanite Friday, May 6, 16 @ 4:05 pm
Happy Mothers’ Day to all the Moms out there.

Mrs. Miller, a very happy birthday. All the best to you and I hope you enjoy this weekend where you can be celebrated for all the wonderful things that make you the special person you are.

OW

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, May 6, 16 @ 4:26 pm
My mother used to tell me to vote before I went to work because I might get in a wreck on the way home and miss my chance to vote. She was an election judge for many years.

Comment by Mama Friday, May 6, 16 @ 4:50 pm