When we were in elementary school we were told to write about our heroes.  You would choose your dad because he brought you to Valley Fair or you would choose your mom because she let you sit in the front seat on the way home from grandma’s house.  But we never really put in much consideration what our parents really do for us and how much they care.  It was always the things we got from them that we thought showed love, but it’s the things they do behind the scenes that truly count. 

Every time I was asked to write about my hero, I chose my dad, because I really looked up to him a lot.  Whatever his favorite color, food, song, movie, etc. was my favorite too, I was his mini me, I did everything with him.

Looking back at it now, I feel bad for choosing my dad, because I should have chosen my mom.  My mom has worked so incredibly hard for my brothers, and me.  When my dad decided that my family wasn’t good enough for him and left my mom for a woman he worked with, my mom stayed strong for us and showed us what real bravery is.  Real bravery isn’t a knight in shining amour killing a dragon for a princess, it’s putting on a smile every single day for your kids when you feel your lowest.  A low you didn’t even think would ever happen to you in a million years.  And for that I’m proud that I get to call her my mom, for all she does behind the scenes for my brothers and me.

My dad has tried to bring my mom to court to get more custody of us, I’m thinking it was because he wanted to pay less money for us.  It is still hard for my mom not to see my brothers a lot, I was mad at my dad’s side of the family for a long time.  They tried to say that dad deserves us more than my mom does because we’re happier at his house, which is not true at all.  They brought photos from years ago of the “family” photos we took to show what a happy “family” we are together.  They showed how my brothers and I were smiling in the pictures, but what else are you supposed to do while someone is taking your photo?  It was so tough for my mom during the court trails.  She thought she was going to lose us, but she was strong for us and never gave up. 

 Of course, there have been ups and downs with my mom, just like any teenager will go through, but I always know that I can talk to my mom about anything and she will genuinely care about what I’m dealing with.  I wish my brothers knew the real reason why I’m not close with our dad, we’ve tried telling them before, but they don’t understand that our step-mom is the reason why our dad and mom our no longer married.  It’s not just her though, my dad made the choice to be unfaithful to my mom, and it hurts me that he would do that to her just because they weren’t the happiest in their marriage at that time.  He decided that instead of fixing the issue, he would go create another, bigger one, and that’s how my relationship with him has been ever since.  My dad is on and off with trying to fix our relationship, he tries to buy my love and at the same time accuses me for only going over to his house for Christmas because I get things from him.  It’s confusing and hurtful to be around my dad, I always end up getting my heart broken.

I am so proud of how far my mom has come in the past few years, she met, and married a guy that truly respects her and us, she survived being a single mom, she’s fought day after day for us, and never gave up.  My mom has gone through so much that I wouldn’t even wish on my worst enemy, so that’s why I will forever choose her as my hero.