Hi Mom,
So I know it's really late, but I'm just now getting tired- which is odd because I took the Nyquil you gave me nearly 4 hours ago. Anyway- while I've been up, I decided to take Captain Hixson's advice and post some comments to your profile on America's Favorite Mom. It took forever and a lot of tears were shed, but I finally came up with something I felt was good enough (though mere words can never truly be good enough). Unfortunately, what I wrote is WAY too long, and I have to cut it down A LOT! :-( Before I do that, I wanted you to see my comments as I intended them.
"My name is Jackie, and I am the younger of Tori's two biological children. I hope everyone will take the time to read this comment before voting, because the above descriptions of my mom omit a very significant detail...
She not only does more than is asked of her for her cadets, but she also does more for me. I am 21, and though many daughters do not rely heavily on their mothers by this point in their lives, I am not one of them. I was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy following a premature birth, and I have been wheelchair-bound since age 3. My mother is my primary caretaker, which means she does things for me that most moms stopped doing for their daughters long ago. She still drives me everywhere. (In fact, the reason she works where she does is because it is located on the campus where I am currently attending college, so she is always close by should I need her.) It goes far beyond that, though- she still lifts me out of bed each morning; she still bathes me; she still dresses me; she still brushes my hair and ties my shoelaces; she even still changes my diapers (which I wear because it is harder than most would think to find a truly accessible bathroom).
More important than all that, however, is the love and support she gives me. I know it has not been easy for her to watch me struggling to cope with my disability; on those days when I find myself hating my life, she often falls victim to my anger and bitterness. Yet still she listens, still she comforts. When I feel like giving up, it is she who gives me the strength and courage to go on. She is my constant, my soft place to fall. I am truly blessed that God chose her to be my mother.
Though I am able to write this, I am rarely able to express these sentiments to my mother herself. I am thankful that this competition has given me the chance to show her and the country how much she means to me."
I love you. I'm sorry if I don't say it enough.
Jackie
