Honor "Second Moms" on Mother's Day

My Second Mom by J.Q. Rose

Many of us have been “mothered” by someone other than our mothers who gave us birth. Mother’s Day honors mothers, but also all those women who have taken on a role as mother--an aunt, sister, grandmother, friend.

On this special day for honoring women who love and care for children, I choose to honor Alma Lee.

In 1976 my husband, baby daughter, and I moved from Central Illinois to West Michigan to a place that was new to us to start our own business. We had no family or friends there. We had no support system because we gave up good jobs to live my husband’s dream--to have a greenhouse, raise plants, and sell them. We wanted to carve out a new life for us. It was exciting, scary, hard work, and challenging all at once.

A cute floral shop came along with the greenhouse business. The flower shop, located in a charming chalet, was attached to the greenhouses. Flower shop? The only flower know-how I had was what I had learned by helping my dad set up flowers for a funeral and then racing them out to the grave site before the family came for the internment service. Yes, my parents were in the funeral business.

Did we know anything about the flower business? No. Did my hubby know anything about the greenhouse business? Only what he’d learned from his hobby growing experience in Illinois.

Thank goodness when we bought the business, Morris and his wife, Alma Lee, came with it! Morris worked with my husband. Alma Lee was the lady who became my second mom.

This kind and loving woman who was probably in her mid-50’s invited us for Sunday dinners and made the best tasting home cookin’ ever. She introduced me to windmill cookies and tea. She played with our daughter and loved her. And their 12-year-old son would rough house with our daughter on the floor laughing and giggling together.

Going to her house was like going home. We could leave the long hard week behind us and forget all the pressures to relax and enjoy Sunday afternoons at Alma Lee’s.

When I look back at that time in my life, I realize how special Alma Lee was to me, not just preparing meals or babysitting. She gave us her heart, and I gave her mine. Always ready to listen and to help, she truly took on the role of mother.

Though she has passed, she will remain with me forever as my second mom.

Do you have a special person in your life who you would consider as your second mom? Please leave a comment below and share about that special lady.'

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms 

and to those women who are involved in children's lives.

Thanks, Mom...