Thank You Project: Mother's Day 2017

Introducing Guest Blogger: Samantha Sali 
Samantha is a writer, image-bearer, and Jesus-seeker. She is passionate about the Word, human trafficking, fair trade, and crocheting. She lives in the midwest with her husband & son. You can follow her on Instagram or check out her blog. https://samanthasali.com/    https://twitter.com/samantha_sali



I am the child of a teen mom. My mother was 17 when she gave birth to me & while she is a great mother now, she had a lot of growing up to do at the time. She wanted the best for me, even when she was into the drug/party scene, so she put me in good hands. For the first five years of my life, I spent most of my time at the family home of her best friend, Robin.
Robin, whom I coined, "Auntie RaRa" was the big sister I never had. My first best friend. The Lorelai to my Rory. The Ethel to my Lucy. The Jerry to my George. The Elizabeth to my Jane. Through her actions, she was one of the first to make sure I knew I could do or be whomever I wanted. She filled my life with love, indescribable kindness, and was unflagging in her efforts to be a wonderful role model for me.
Her qualities are of abundance - she’s the hardest working person I’ve ever known, her thriftiness unparalleled, and her kind demeanor is something to strive for. But the quality of which I admire her most for is how she goes the extra mile for every living thing. She has opened her home to me - letting me stay whenever needed. She has bent over backwards to make sure that I was fed, clothed, loved, and has assisted in helping me move on more than one occasion. She was one of very few people I could rely on in my life. I knew that if I ever had a problem, big or small, she would answer my call and have my back.
And it wasn't only me who has been blessed by her kindness. She cared for her father during his battle with cancer - driving him to appointments and opening her home to him. When her mother's finances were tight, she cleared out her spare bedroom. She coordinated an Air Ambulance to bring her supervisor's brother home, someone who received a life-threatening head injury during a trip to Ireland. And of course, there are several stories of her stopping to guide lost wildlife (such as ducks, turtles, and bunnies) back to safety. She has a huge heart and goes above and beyond every single day.
If Robin hadn’t entered my life, it would be void of a genuine being - She might think that I never listen to what she says, but the truth is, I live by her words every day. All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe in part to Robin. And while Mother’s Day is a nod to all the fantastic mothers out there, don’t forget to acknowledge the other women in your life - the women that have positively impacted your life in some way.