Spotlight Tuesday... A day late..

Tuesday’s blog theme is “spotlight” day, and since I didn’t get around to it yesterday, I am posting it today… My spotlight day will be a weekly post dedicated to a person I choose… one whom I admire, look up to, appreciate, or just feel like posting about.
Naturally, my first spotlight post must be my mother. My mother and I are best friends. This is an amazing thing, especially considering we would never have seen this in our future a few years ago. Truthfully, if you asked me 10-15 years ago if my mother would be my best friend, I would say no way. If you asked her, she probably would have said her daughter might not be alive in 10-15 years. I was rebellious, horrendous, and “wild child” would not do me justice. Yet, my mother stuck by me. She always has.
My mom has a knack for giving people the benefit of the doubt and can be loyal to a fault. She stayed with my father for years past what I would have, simply to keep our family together. She stayed present for my brother and me, when I would have run away. She worked two jobs our whole lives to help us have the best life can offer, whether that be education, food, clothes, shelter, cars, extra curricular activities, summer camps, whatever… she provided. To this day, she sends me care packages, unexpected notes, coupons, and the like. Every time she visits Tampa, she cooks and cooks some more.
Regardless of all of the material goods, my mother gives love unconditionally, compassion, and a listening ear. I can call her day or night and she is there to listen. She does not judge, she simply listens and shares her experience. One of the best things about my mother is she is not only a mother to her biological children, she is an adopted mother to almost every one of our friends. Holiday meals, birthday dinners, just a nice place to spend time, with good company and love, my mother does it all.
She also gives back to the community, adopts other families, is a member to more organizations than I could possibly list, and is simply one of the most selfless people I know. She does all of this and still works one full time job for the state, one part time job at an urgent care clinic, takes care of her home, cooks for her husband, AND takes care of my Grandmother who has Alzheimer’s. I honestly do not know anyone else who could handle so much life stress and continue giving service with a smile. Belinda McClellan, you are truly superwoman, and I am honored to be your daughter and best friend. Love you.. Past the Sky J