My Mother, My Hero

I am completely opposite of my mother, and my father for that matter too. Sometimes it's amazing that my mother raised me and I did not pick up many of her traits and habits, as many kids do. Now, there are some things that I catch myself doing that is totally my mother, but for the most part, we are complete opposites.

Despite this fact, I love her so much. She is my hero, and I thank God for her. Like every child, there are a few things that we wish we could change about our parents. One of my big things was my mother's smoking. I believe she started smoking when she was 16 years old, and now at the age of 44, she is still at it. I used to tell her that her lungs were black and would feel like tar, but she would just tell me to shut-up. I have never quite understood how hard it is to stop smoking.

Well, last week, while talking to my mother on the phone, she told me that her and my stepdad, Joe, decided that it was time to stop smoking. My heart rejoiced and I became so proud of my mother. My mom continued to tell me of her plan, and how hard it had been the last few days. She explained that it's really hard to give it up, both physically and emotionally. It's not just a habit, it's part of her life. Despite this, she is trying her best, because she knows that it's time to give this up. So, down to only 4 cigarettes a day, my mother has taken on the strenuous task of quitting smoking.

I'm so proud of her. I am hoping that this time she conquers the smoking habit. Keep her in your prayers, and if you have any tips on how to conquer this deadly habit, email them to me. I'm pretty sure she can take all the advice she can.

Yeah..Go Mom! You can do it!!! We believe in you!

-Carmelita