Mom worked at Cub Care up until a week before she earned her wings to Heaven. That week before when I was talking to her on the phone, she shared that she was tired. I suggested she not go to work. “You aren’t feeling well, just stay home and rest.”

She said, “I’m fine, I love being there and they let me sit most of the time.” I smiled at the fact that they loved her so much they let her work and sit and contribute.

“Okay mom but if you get to a point where you aren’t feeling like it, remember your rest is important.”

She eventually did decide to not work right before she passed. My mom was 81 and rarely ever called in sick. She would miss work if there wasn’t something important for us kids, but, based on what I know always showed up.

As far back as I can remember my mom worked hard. When she was a stay at home mom (pre-divorce) she worked hard to do everything for Allison and I. When she had nothing at all (post-divorce) she worked to find something to do. She iced cakes at Dairy Queen (and she was darn good at it). She worked part time at Marsh. She was an Instructional Assistant at Northwood and eventually also added an after school program: ACE (eventually called Cub Care) to her work. She didn’t love being social but she loved being around the kids and made some really good friends at Northwood.

I am so glad right now to say I was wrong mom (and you know that I didn’t like to be wrong when we would argue). I was wrong to ask you to retire from Cub Care when you retired from being an IA. I was wrong to keep nudging you for all those years. I always thought you would love to have control of your schedule but reality is that you loved it so much you were worried what life would be like without the schedule. And that is okay. I’m telling you now as you watch me from Heaven that I finally get it. I get why you kept working. Mama that was a huge part of who you were and that part of you lives within me as I continue to work hard at a place I love. Thank you.