Time Sure Does Fly

Today is my mom's last day of employment with the State of Michigan!!!  I am sure she did the happy dance as she turned in all her final things this morning to make her retirement final.  I can only imagine how excited she is to close this chapter in life and start a new, less stressful chapter with my already retired father!

I can remember as a kid how enthusiastic my mom was to work for the DHS and actually put her college degree to use.  In fact, the moment my mom got her job with the state, it truly was a blessing to our family.  My father no longer had to work every overtime opportunity that came up, and mom was going to feel stable for once in a job.  Just because she got that state job, it didn't mean the struggles and our appreciation of her hard work ended there.  There were times that my family  questioned if this job was right for her.

I remember the years she was a child protective service worker, and oh that job nearly killed my mom.  Not physically, but emotionally.  I still do not know how she was able to do that work, but I do know this that it takes a special person to do that job!  My mom did it well, but boy did she cry.  (Sorry Mom, keeping it real here!)  She cried for all those families that were hurting and some of the struggles those babies had to go through.   Heck I still cry for those poor babies now as a mother!

Over the past few years I have seen the transitional changes just add to additional stress of the job for my mom, but she did her job with pride.  She made sure to do everything that she needed to get the job done, but at the same time it has added a lot of additional stress.  I think anyone who is in her position currently, can attest that the stress is there.  She did persevere through it all and boy when I talk to her on the phone now I can hear her smile.  It is like this dark cloud has been lifted off her and she is ready to live that next chapter.  And you know what?  She deserves that.

In fact both my parents deserve to enjoy their retirement.  Of course I am biased, but my parents sacrificed so much for my brother and I, and I am so absolutely grateful for the hard work they did to provide for us.  We may have not had a lot as kids, but my parents provided for us and I know as an adult I appreciate even the little things because it was the little things in our young lives that had us the most happy.

Okay now enough of the mushy stuff!  My parents are off on a month vacation in Florida, and it is much deserved!  However I hope they realized that now that neither of them are working, I am going to be expecting a few more visits to Nebraska from them.  I mean who wouldn't want to take a vacation to Nebraska to visit fabulous people:)

Thank you Mom for all that you did and still do for me...love you to the moon and back!