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Congrats Georgiana: Mother's Day Giveaway!
Posted by Phuong on Apr 15th, 2009



Here's how to enter:


In the comment form below, tell us a great memory of you and your Mother. On May 1, 2009, we will select a winner at random and post them on the front page of the blog.

The winner will receive:
  • 1 Jumbo Cup and Saucer for their Mother's Day gift, with a small sampler of Koni Teas.

    Rules:
    1) A valid email address is required, so that we can contact you if you win!
    2) We encourage multiple stories, however please keep in mind that it will not
    increase your chances of winning.

    We look forward to reading your posts! In spirit of Mother's Day, it wouldn't be fair if I didn't post a memory of my own. So below is my story!


    Mama Le
    Mama Le


    Not only is my mom the most amazing mother in the world, she is also my best friend.

    When I'm with Mama Le, I can totally be myself and tell her just about anything. I probably tell her more than she cares to know. :) She is a true inspiration to me because she radiates with positivity and has inspired me to appreciate every moment in life. She gives unconditional love and finds so much joy in making others feel good. I look up to her because she is a Super Mom and a dynamic person. Mama Le is very affectionate and loving yet knows when to put me in my place. She has taught me that I can succeed at anything I want if I just put my mind to it. Passion, strong work ethics, morals, and a solid family foundation are the keys to a successful life she always says. She inspired me at a very young age to become the woman I am today. My earliest memory of sharing a wonderful moment with her was when I was 7 years old. After coming home from running her own business, she always made sure she spent quality time with me. I've always loved helping her create amazing culinary dishes, and she repaid the favor by teaching me the health benefits of the different ingredients. She taught me how to poach shrimp with green tea, infuse crystallized ginger into desserts, and even steam fish with black tea. I used those and several other childhood memories as inspiration for my life today.

    I live a happy, healthy, and a life inspired because of Mama Le.

    • Comments
  • Ann Says: May 5th, 2009, 4:40pm So many wonderful stories here about moms. ? Through the years my mother and I have become really close and it was when I finally grew up and got over myself as a teenager that I realized what she's done in my life and who she is as a person. She is amazing. She's generous, big-hearted, and just beautiful! My sister recently said to my mom, "she's just like you, mom..." in a way that she was sort of poking fun at me. I am proud to be like my mother. She is one of the most intuitive, strong, classy women I know. So to my sister's comment I say thank you! I have many fond memories of my mom... and we continue to make more that are especially meaningful because now I can freely express just what she means to me and how much she is appreciated. She is one of my best friends and I still look to her for guideance. ?
  • Joseph Foy Says: April 30th, 2009, 10:50pm Everyone’s Mom is special in their own way. My Mom was such a teacher to me even though she didn’t know it and her teachings came to my aid so much later in my life. Just by the way she lived her life was all she needs to do for me. I learned from her life. My Mom for as long as I could remember was burdened with mental illness which leads to alcohol addiction. Everyday was a battle for her. During my youth her illness got so bad that she probably had to make one of the hardest decisions a single parent could make, give up her child. For my Mom to get the help she needed she had to put me in foster homes when I was at the age of 9 years old. From that point till I was 18 is where I stayed. At the time and through my adulthood I harbored resentment for this but in my later years I finally understood she did what was best for me and her at the same time. Living with her would have been such a bad mistake in her condition. Through my adulthood I tried feverishly to help her battle her demons, some days good & some days not so good. But she always had her faith in God and her son, she always called me her “guardian angel” Don’t get me wrong there were times that I was at my wits end with her but you could see the suffering in her eyes and you just knew there was a battle raging inside of her but the smile never showed it. Going through the toughest time in my life 5 years ago with a high profile serial murder case my dear Mom didn’t want to burden me with the news of her newly discovered breast cancer so she waited till it was over to tell me. She waited on treatment even against doctors orders till the trail was over. My dear Mother succumbed to cancer just last year. Within 2 months of discovering another tumor she passed. But those two months brought us so much closer and we repaired so many bridges and knocked down so many walls. There were things that need to be said and hands to be held just sitting. My world got a little bit colder on June 2nd, 2007, when she finally was truly able to shake all the demons that had fought her for so long, my Mom could know truly rest. What my Mom taught me just through her actions was do NOT let things control you, be it mental illness, alcohol, drugs whatever the case. Now that I’ve been battling my own demons due to the serial murder case her teachings have helped me every step of the way. How you ask, because I know she is there holding my hand as I did hers at the end…I miss & love you Mom!
  • Missy Greil Says: April 28th, 2009, 9:58pm My mom has always been my best friend. She has the biggest heart and the warmest smile. I can talk to her about pretty much anything and she's always there for me. My parents were divorced when I was 17 years old, a really hard time for me of course for my parents as well. Through it all my mom and I leaned on each other and became closer and closer and now have an unseperable bond.
  • Amanda Says: April 18th, 2009, 4:09pm My mom and father had a divorce 8 years ago. We are from Greece, we moved in 1995, and in 1999 problems became unbearable. I have two other sister, an older sister who is 3 years apart from me and a younger sister by 12 years. Divorce caused everyone to change. My mother moved in with my little sister and me and my older sister went to dad's until we were able to do our own thing. My older sister few years ago moved to CA and still to this day, she is angry at mom. Yesterday my little sister told mom she is gonna move out once she turns 18 which is next week. My older sister constantly talk bad about my mom yet she refuses to talk to any of us to resolve any issues we may have. This hurts my mom a lot. My younger sister is affected by my older sisters actions and she rather moves out then resolve any issues she has with mom. Our mother is very good person, she doesn't drink or do anything else outside of the care of her kids. She works day and night so she can provide the best for her daughters. But because of the divoce and the change that it caused on everyone, she is left with two of her daughter still at odds with her. This causes her to become unhealthy, thus weight gain and being dependent on anti-depression medication and counseling. I love her and I belive she deserves better. Nobody is perfect and I went thru the same stuff my sisters went thru and I will tell you this, she is a good person and she doesn't deserve to be treated by her own daughters the way my sister treat her. I love them all, yet I wish my sisters were more responsible with their decisions on how to resolve their issues. And as for my mom, I will always be there for her.
  • Darlene Leary Says: April 18th, 2009, 9:02am Helen has been just like a mom to me. When I was a child she took me places, came to visit from 3 hours away, and cared about me. When I moved long-distance to college she was around. 5 months after my wedding my mother died and Helen has remained a strong part of my life. 20 years after later my stepmom died and later she and Dad were married. Now that Dad is gone she still embraces me and includes our family with hers. At nearly 89 she calls often and still invites me to dinner and a visit. Her example has meant so much to me as I have taught my children and learn from her. Darlene
  • Darlene Leary Says: April 18th, 2009, 8:56am My mother died 5 months after my husband and I were married. Immediately Mary Jane, my mother-in-law, embraced me as her own. She welcomed me as a part of the family and has continued sharing and caring with me these 31+ years. She has loved our children and helped our family even from long-distance locations. I so appreciate her and her love for me. Darlene
  • Danielle Says: April 17th, 2009, 9:21pm I have so many good memories of me and my mother. I love the simple nights we spend together just watching tv. I enjoy having a nice dinner with my mom that we cook together and then just relaxing on the sofa and watching tv. I love her company and it is comforting to just spend time with her! I love my mom!!!
  • Christine Laikind Says: April 17th, 2009, 4:18pm My mother certainly didn't have it easy - while growing up and then when she had me and my brother. You see, we were both born deaf due to genetic defect. At first I was born breech and a blue baby. So, they blamed my deafness due to the difficult birth. Then my brother came along two years later and he was fine. When they discovered through testing, our deafness was caused by a gene defect that both of my parents carried. Mom wanted to have a large family since she had none. At the time we were born, the first things out of "medical and educational professionals" were to put us into institutions. We wouldn't make it out in the "real world." My mother wouldn't hear of it. She was bound and determined that we were going to get what the "hearing kids" got -- education, first and foremost and felt that we were entitled to the same rights, privileges, and benefits as everyone else. I never forgot that. Her fight and love for us -- keeps me going. Today, at nearly 45 years old, I am still a fighter and still pursue what I feel I can do and am entitled just like everyone else. My mother is my hero. My 17-year old daughter says I am her hero. My daughter now wants to make the world a better place to live -- through international peace relations. That is her choice for career path. I envision she will be the next Condice Rice .
  • Daniel M Says: April 17th, 2009, 1:42am I know I don't call my mom as much as I should or could. I'm not a phone person, like most men, my mom is always there for me and always thinking of me. I appreciate everything she does for me, even the phone conversations when she checks up on me. She's so dependable and with every little special occasion, she still manages to make me feel special. Whether it's a quick phone call or her mailing out her famous homemade brownies to me, which she still does every occasion she gets. She's just the best.
  • Jennifer Says: April 17th, 2009, 1:38am One recent memorable moment that I had with my mom was over the telephone. Although this may seem minor, it holds a special place with me. I live 2,000 miles away from my mom and we talk almost everyday, but always short conversations. The conversation I'm referring to is one where we spent nearly two hours on the phone together. My mom started reminiscing about her youthful days, of a time much different than what I know and have experienced. She talked of her first date with my father, her first kiss, her life and how it was before. We laughed so much and it was so sweet how she would giggle at the memories. We look at our mothers as strong, sensible, nurturers in our lives but to listen to their stories of who and how they were before is amazing. So the relationship that I have with my wonderful mom and how we're able to talk is one of the most special things about my mother.
  • Stephanie Wiles Says: April 16th, 2009, 10:03pm How can you sum up in a few words how much you love your mother? I love how my mom is different in so many ways. She has been educational through my life. Thanks to her I learned how to successfully balance a checkbook to the penny by the time I was 16 years old. She's totally crazy! These days she's been known to go on walks carrying crackers in ... Read Moreher pockets for the over-flying seagulls. And she calls out for them too. Loudly. She's fun to watch chick flicks with, and she doesn't judge when you get totally into a movie. Because we recently watched "Practical Magic" we have been shopping for herbs for our summer "white witch garden" that we are going to plant together. She has been supportive through the years. Biting her tongue when she clearly saw I was marrying a man I didn't really know, and taking me back home with loving arms after the predicted divorce. We share the same love for animals, and she devotedly carries treats for all the pets and strays on our bike rides. She's fun drinking with, because her face turns redder with each sip, and our lame jokes become funny. She's always been there for us, helping us from homework projects, to moving in and out of the home.The list could go on, but the reason I love her most is because I can't imagine a life without her. :-)
  • Linda Says: April 16th, 2009, 4:54pm Often times, we don't plan enough time to enjoy people, as we always think there will be another day to do this. I was happy that I took the time to spend with my Mom on one of our Europe trips. The best memory I have of my mother is when we were in France for a day, when our cruise ship docked there. My Mom and I took a tour of Claude Monet's country home in Giverny, France. Here we saw the inspiration for the many scenes of Monet's water lily paintings, and also his paintings of his cottage home in Giverny. My Mom and I are both impressionist painting fans, and it was a fabulous opportunity for us to spend the day together in such a serene and inspirational place. It gave us a renewed and refreshed outlook on life. We talked and shared our visions of life and the future, as we enjoyed Monet's country home as the backdrop. For as long as I live, I will have fond memories of this day, which my Mom and I shared together, with Monet canvases in the midst.
  • Tere Patterson Says: April 16th, 2009, 3:24pm My mother was always there with hugs to warm the heart and help me through any tough times. When my fiance was serving in the military/war in 1967-1968 my mother was very comforting in times of me being in tears and yet trying to plan a wedding in August when my fiance returned home from the war. She would sing to me even though I was 19 at the time but yet that brought back my fond childhood memories with her soothing voice taking away my tears and making me smile. My mother is not with me today as she passed way 12 years ago having Alzheimers - but I can always feel her hug me at night. I just wished she could have been on earth to see her grandchildren marry and to see and play with her 6 great granchildren and 2 great great granchildren. Mom the heart of hearts I love you.
  • Jack Says: April 16th, 2009, 12:38pm In the Eyes of the Beholder One evening as I was preparing to leave her condominium, my mother held my face close to hers and said, "You are my little boy and I love you my son." I was strangely moved by the genuineness of her words; I was her little boy. After 45 years, I'm guessing she probably had expressed that feeling to me a few thousand times. Why I had never felt it quite so keenly before? As she looked into my eyes that day, she didn't see a mature, fully grown man--she saw her little boy. And I felt it; beloved, cherished and special. Maybe I heard it more dearly that day because my own son happened to be standing next to me at the moment. Maybe it was because of my love for him, that I could better understand my mothers love for me. It was a wonderful moment for me. A moment that allowed me to more fully accept and more deeply feel my mothers love. And since, I am reminded to make an effort to try and express that same depth back to her, my son and the rest of my family.
  • Georgiana Avram Says: April 16th, 2009, 11:18am Hey Phuong! What a great idea: to share stories about our mothers. Over the years my mom has become my best friend, my mentor and I love her and admire her deeply. She raised me and my sister and gave her all, she sacrificed her life so that we could have a better life. At 49, without barely speaking any English, she left Romania (our birth country) and moved to America to be with my sister who was newly wed. She stayed 2 years apart from her husband, my father, so that he could work in Romania because he had a good job there and in those 2 years she applied for a green card here in the States and she got it! My mom has a Ph.D. in Physics in Romania and she was a teacher for many years. When she came to America, the only job she could get was that of a housekeeper. It was incredibly tough for her to work for almost 2 years as a housekeeper, when she was among scholars and intellectuals in Romania all her life. After she obtained her green card, she got a job at an engineering company. That was also a very hard time for her, because her English was minimal and she had to learn engineering terms that Americans have been used to for years. At that time she was 51 years old and yet she never gave up, she never backed down, she kept on going. In all 13 years that my mom has been in the United States, she got laid off 3 times because of the economy and the only reason why she always found a job is because of her determination and persistence. She literally knocked on doors until someone answered. I thought she was a bit crazy to bother all those people, CEOs of big companies, but she told me she is not going to stop until she gets what she wants. Her English is not perfect but she did what she could and whatever hardship life threw her way, she was able to knock it down and keep on going. Her persistence taught me to work hard and not give up no matter what, and as I am writing this, I am getting teary eyed, because I have never met anyone with such strong will and dedication as my mom. I speak with her at least 2 times a day and she knows everything about my life. She gives me advice and I also try to help her out if she has any problems at all. I honestly couldn't have asked for a better mother. And thank you for making me write this as it got me to think how much I appreciate my mom and how grateful I am for her love and support. God Bless! G. (oh boy, and now I need a tissue!)
  • Breanne Leigh Kay Says: April 16th, 2009, 10:14am My mother is a blonde-haired goddess woman with a giant red candy heart and an angelic soul. My mother is the most altruistic woman I know; she taught me the importance of putting your most beloved first, but always making time for yourself. As the first born and being a bouncy baby girl, my mom and dad decided that my mom would not work a conventional job, but work at home and raise me and my little brother. Each day with mom was spent making mickey mouse pancakes, reading books together, going to museums and on picnics. She toted me around to gymnastics and karate and dance and was my number one supporter and stylist in my beauty pageants. My mother taught me how to have fun and how to stay grounded. That the simple things in life matter most and to never take anything for granted. My mother is the glue and foundation in my family. My mother is my hero and my life-link and everyone that meets her loves her forever. It would be a disservice to only mention one memory of my mother, as all of them are magical and special and near to my heart. I adore my mom, or as we affectionately call the beautiful, tall and thin woman Moose. I love you Moose. Forever and a day!
  • Carolyn G Says: April 16th, 2009, 9:30am THe best memory of my mom is how hard she worked when we were little. She had 2 jobs and always tried to buy me and my sister something new. She always went without and scrimped and saved so we would have nice things. I appreciate that so much and to this day I always remember he generosity.
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