of the world !!! if it's because of sickness my heart goes out to you,if it's by choice you made it and if it's because of "pasture breeding rats " who have left you alone with nothing but a wonderful little child , THEN THIS IS YOUR HUG (((( MOM ))))) Happy Mother's Day !!!!

OT I have a lump in my throat. Thank you. And a Happy Mothers Day to you. You took on the Job of Both. Hugs.

Thanks Doc !!!

Well OT you are becoming one heck of a thoughtful Dude.

Just when I opened this thread the door bell rang and look what was there!

I am so proud of my hard working Restaurant Manager who is dealing with 1200 reservations today.

Poor Baby.

I certainly didn't choose to be a single Mom but I did choose to leave "The Greek" behind on the enchanted Greek Island where we met.

Single Mother hood was a tremendous challenge - I never saw a dime of child support. But I was blessed with a beautiful half Greek daughter who is the apple of my eye. My parents were both gone so it was all up to me. I did it all, over the years: Dance Mom, Softball Mom, Cheerleader Mom, and Lacrosse Mom. I worked at a summer camp in Maine so she could be one of those kids who "went to summer camp" and I moved to a college town in Massachusetts so she could afford to away "go away to college" I stayed by myself and didn't even date for 16 years - so I wouldn't loose focus on her.

It has been hard figuring out who I am after all those years of focusing on her.

Single motherhood is a challenge I don't wish on anyone.

Most of us do not choose it - it just happens.

Here we are 20 years ago.
This was just after we moved back to the USA.

"Softball Mom"

Thanks Doc - you are too kind.

Well Rootswoman....."familyman" from the Wailers did it 56 times. Isn't that nice !!!! I hear ya ..it's NOT !!!!!!!!!!! easy . You have done well ,my hats off to ya !!!

LOL @ OT. That is crazy!

I have to take a minute and say I don't have the same ill feelings towards those walking Ja sperm banks as some folks have. I can't blame the individual, when to me it is a cultural phenomena. I totally get others anger at dead beat fathers spreading their stuff all over the place and not looking back - However I can't judge them as I was not born into a culture that believes the more you propagate the bigger the man you are. If I was born and raised in Ja I might also feel that having lots of babies was a good thing. I can't know because I wasn't so that is where I stop passing judgment. Does that make sense?

I once asked a Rasta who I considered very smart and fairly well educated "why on Earth do you want to have as many babies as you can ?" The answer was "so when I grow old it gives me a better chance of someone taking care of me"

That theory seems totally warped to me. However when went on to think deeper, I concluded; if you have grown up seeing impoverished older folks it could be very scary. In that case, that theory would make a lot of sense.

And OT - Thank you!
My daughter is the one thing I am proud of.

Yeah, it is pretty ignorant stuff Macy.
Were you here when we were discussing the Jamaican Lottery Scam and that they think it is OK because the white man owes them? There is even a popular song in Jamaica that says such right now.

rootswoman, our stories are quite similar. I have a son and a daughter, and they had a "father" (more like another child) for about 10 years until he ran off with someone who would allow him to be a party boy. The nerve of me wanting him to share the expenses, LOL! I got one child support check in the amount of $90 (state garnished), which was swiftly followed by a call from out of state to cuss me out and then he quit that job and moved so he wouldn't have to pay. His party lifestyle resulted in the silly ho losing her house and ultimately, his death. In the meantime, I went to school, managed to buy a modest house and stayed single for many years - just too busy raising them to commit to anybody else. Ironically, he called just after I bought the house and wanted to "come home." (Sure, cuz I want to take care of you now after you're all broke down and sick) Now the kids are 27 and 23 and I have one granddaughter, 3 years old. They all still live in my house. I'm blessed, but it's time for me to have a little freedom now! I'll probably have to move out to get any peace.