， ， ， .
Aftershemarried， mymotherquitherjobandgaveherselftoherfamily.In1950， withthreechildren， .By1958， ourmodestwhitefarmhousewasfilledwithsixchildren， andMamawasdelighted.
-esteemandhelpedusreachourpotential.
Onefallday， ."Yourfatherhasaccomplishedsomuch." shesaidproudly."Hereallyissomebody."
Mymotherwantedeachofustobesomebodytoo."." shealwayssaid.
， ， Ipaintedastackofwoodencrateswhiteandnailedthemtogethertomakeawobblybookcase."It' swonderful！" Mamaexclaimed."Justwhatweneed." Sheuseditformanyyears.
， Leocommentedthatthepicturesweren' ' thearofit."Theyaretheretoremindyouhowmuchyoucouldaccomplishevenaschildren." shesaid.
Fromtheverybeginning， ， aftervisitingourgrandparentsontheSouthSide， ， the41-storybuildingwouldbeChicago' stallest."Maybesomedayoneofyoucandesignabuildinglikethis." shesaid.
Herconfidenceinuswasinfectious.WhenmysisterCarlawas12， sheannouncedshewasgoingtobealawyer.
"Youcandothat." Mamasaid."Youcandoanythingyouputyourmindto."
， ， ， talkingtousabouthistory， politicsandcurrentevents， .
WhenIwasinthethirdgrade， ， pointingoutlandmarksandrecountinglocalhistory.
Whenitcametimetothinkaboutcollege， therewasneveraquestionthatwe' ' sacrifice， westudiedhardtoearnscholarships， ， Ilearnedthevalueofadollar."Workisablessing." Mamaalwaysremindedus.
Sheneveraskedforanythingforherself."Youdon' thavetobuymeabirthdaypresent." shesaidonetime."？ Areyouhappy？"...
妈妈的脸上洋溢着骄傲的光芒。我知道，我们所取得的和将要取得的每一点成就，都是我们的父母所赐。
在我们还是小孩子的时候，妈妈便是我们的良师益友。直到我长大成人，才意识到她是多么不平凡。
