Submitted by Angel Washington

The question, “Why should my mom be mother of the year?” is one of the easiest questions I could ever answer. Besides the fact that she is a mother to her own kids, she is also a mother to the world. Originially my mom was the mother of five kids, but something inside of her felt the need to help kids that were not just her own. For over 20 years my mom has done foster care. Taking different kids in on a regular basis isn’t easy for most, but for my mom it was “just another thing I can do to make children’s lives more at ease.” Still feeling like her job with kids wasn’t done, my mom adopted four kids. For me, the adoption wouldn’t be the word of choice, but more like re-birth because that’s what it feels like. My mom even mothered to those who were grown and beyond her age.

In life, no one’s perfect, and being a mother isn’t the easiest job, but the way mom does it, you would have thought she read every handbook on “How to be a Mother,” but that’s not the case. My mom just acts based on how she feels and somehow seems to always do it right. So the question arises again, “Why should my mom be mother of the year?” because good deeds should be applauded and my mom has done many good deeds that have passed by without their applause. Oh, I can go on and on about my mom. Yes, I truly feel blessed to have been adopted by her, along with my three adopted brothers. Two of my brothers are truly special needs children. The other one is very smart (honor roll) like I. Just to brief you on my mom background; Register nurse for 20 years (presently retired); disabled veteran of 16 years of the Gulf War era; foster care mom for 20-plus years; currently is a respite provider for foster care children of the State of Georgia; has been a foster care mom for Fayette County for seven-plus years.

My mom also provides coutless hours of community service distributing clothing to the needy (indigent population of Atlanta). She receives clothing donations from various consignment shops in Fayette County. What they do not sell, they donate it to her to distribute to the indigent population (needy families of Fayette County). She has been especially working with the Red Door Consignment Shop, located in Tyrone, Ga. for a number of years. They have been very generous in their donations. She is a true Christian, member or Atlanta City Church. Has five biological children (grown), two step-daughters (grown), four adopted children, 16 grandchildren, countless foster care children and neighboring children as well. When it comes to taking care of people in general, especially children, my mom feels that you can never do enough. I often hear her praying to God to give her the wisdom enough, time enough, strength enough and energy enough to do whatever is before her this day and every day.
So now you see why I feel my mom should be mother of the year!! Presently disabled herself, she still tries to do everything!!

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