Wonderful Women of March: My Mother, Alison

My mother. Yup. Isn't she cute?

This woman is the most influential woman in my life; thus, why I'm making her my first Wonderful Woman of March. Not only is she my mother, but she's also my close friend and confidant. Sweet and corny, right? I know.

In high school, my mother and I were usually on good terms, but we weren't as close as we are now. Which, some might say is typical because of college; basically, I've matured.

Anyway, these are the reasons why my mother, Alison, is my first Wonderful Woman of March:

1. On the topic of body image, my mother never, ever pushed cultural/societal beauty norms or standards in my face. Ever. She was, and still is, always so supportive about how I look, according to her, I'm never too fat, too gross, too anything. I, specifically, remember a time in middle school when I was trying on clothes before the first day of school and I told her I looked fat, and she told me that I wasn't fat, I was beautiful. I'm always beautiful to my mother, and as she is to me. I can't express how lucky I am to have a mother who doesn't pester me about my weight, diets, and excessive exercising.
2. My mother is educated. She studied law at the University of North Dakota and graduated with her Juris Doctor. Aside from her law degree, she is a brilliant woman all around.
3. My mother is passionate. My mother told me that she really didn't have a desire to be a laywer when she was working her way through school; all she really wanted to do was be a mom. She had four children with my father and she was the mom she always wanted to be. She's passionate about being a mother and seeing that her children do well in life, supporting us in the best way she knows, and letting us figure things out for ourselves, as we grow older. 
4. My mother is compassionate. She has a very big, loving heart. She's one of the biggest animal lovers I know, and enjoys taking care of all of the animals on the "small hobby farm" she lives on. She bottle-fed and raised three domesticated white-tail deer, and likes watching them enjoy the life she's created for them out at our family farm. 
5. My mother and father are a unit. They're so in love with each other, it sometimes makes me sick, but I also know how rare it is to have a mom and dad that are still married and living together, that still want to spend time with each other, and rarely fight. My parents have been through some hard times in recent years, and yet they still stay strong and committed to each other and everything eventually works itself out. 

I have so many more reasons than just the ones listed above, but I wouldn't want to keep you reading forever. My mother is wonderful, and I'm so lucky to have her in my life.

I also know that if my dad were to read this, he'd be all, "What about meeee?"

And to that, I'd say, "Dad - you're pretty rockin', too."