A Real Mom

Do you think you'll ever want to find your real mom?

It is the most common question I get asked when people learn that I'm adopted.

Your real mom?

When I was younger I hated those words. Like the mom I had was a fake. An impostor. A pod person sent here to destroy mankind by infiltrating our every day lives. I would get angry. Sometimes I would yell at the person for using that word, this person who honestly didn't understand that they had said anything wrong.

Real.

I grew up and realised that the best thing was to respond with the words I preferred to use: "I don't know if I'll ever look for my biological mom; my real mom is still a part of my life." It gets the point across much better than yelling.

My biological mom gave me life and for that I will be forever grateful.

My real mom stayed up with me when I was sick, she gave me hugs when I was sad, she was my biggest cheerleader, she bore the brunt of my temper tantrums, she got angry at me when I needed it, she drove me to ballet, soccer, and band, she taught me how to sew, she tended to the flowers in my window box, she played the piano so I could dance to it, and she still loves me unconditionally because, biological or not, that`s what real moms do.

There are so many types of moms in this world--too many to list here--and I wish each and every one of you a wonderful Mother`s Day.