As Mother’s Day approaches I want to take a moment to acknowledge the GRANDmoms.

Of addiction.

Or, mental illness.

Or, simply single parenthood.

The grandmoms essentially coparenting their grandchildren.

And, the grandmoms actually parenting their grandchildren.

I’m a single mom of 3. This was not intentional nor planned.

My ex cannot parent for reasons beyond my control.

My mom, aged 55, is essentially coparenting my kids with me.

My mom is my hero.

I could not do life without her.

Literally.

My mom picks kids up from the babysitter after school.

My mom runs emergency money to book fairs.

My mom drops off forgotten lunches.

My mom freezes on the baseball field when two kids have two different things on the same night.

My mom buys dinners out and sends emergency Apple Pay money when I run short from paying for everything alone.

My mom.

My mom lets me sleep on the couch for a half hour when I was up all night working.

My mom gets my kids their preferred snacks and after school treats. Every week. She takes a list to the store.

She cooks dinner for everyone. Every night.

I couldn’t work multiple jobs and take multiple kids multiple places if I had to cook, too.

Because of my mom - we sit down together every night for dinner.

My mom is at every recital and communion and game. Every graduation and awards ceremony and emergency hospital trip.

My mom is a parent she didn’t have to be.

To kids that aren’t really hers.

Addiction and mental illness robbed my children of a parent.

My mom stepped right in.

Tired. Weary. Over little kids and over parenting.

She is there.

Always.

There aren’t enough words or gestures to properly thank my mom.

On this Mother’s Day let’s not forget the grandmoms who are there.

Even when they shouldn’t have to be.

Let’s not forget the hero’s of this too often broken world.