iReporter son interviews iReporter mom about the rewards and challenges of being a mom.

Our mother has been incredibly supportive of every adventure on which my brother and I embarked. Whether it was fund raising for the marching band, making Halloween costumes, or providing guidance in our personal lives, our mother has dedicated her life to making our lives better.

Despite financial hardships, she has always found means to provide for her family. When I was a junior in high school, I was presented with the opportunity of being an exchange student in Germany. I mentioned that I would have loved to participate this program. However, I knew that this adventure was not financially feasible for our family. My mother went out of her way to find an organization to sponsor this educational experience.

The most impressive act of her generosity began when my brother enlisted in the Marine Corps. During his deployment to Afghanistan and his two combat tours in Iraq, our family faced a great amount of fear and uncertainty. Although she is chronically ill as a result of surgery, she made the best of a difficult situation by taking an active role in supporting my brother's battalion. There are programs in place for spouses of Marines and Sailors, but there are no support structures for parents. By establishing contacts within the command structure and networking with other parents, she was able to create an unofficial parents network. The goal of this network is to keep parents “in the loop” and support families during these difficult times. Further, she has formed a non-profit organization geared towards lifting the morale of the Marines and Sailors by sending an overwhelming amount of support overseas. While the support included items such as holiday stockings, toiletries, books and magazines, holiday decorations, cookies, and cards, the most important support was the message that citizens of the United States stand by and support our military, regardless of personal views. To support the efforts of her organization, she has raised over $600,000 from individuals and corporations.

Although my brother is no longer an active Marine, she continues her efforts to support Marines, Sailors, and their families. Her structure for the parents network is currently being evaluated by the Marine Corps for possible adoption into their standard procedures. She is respected by many high-ranking Marine Corps officers because of her dedication and leadership. Her unpredictable and frequent episodes of extreme hypoglycemia prevent her from working full-time, but every waking second is spent counseling Marine families, making arrangements for homecoming celebrations, and extending measures of sympathy to the families of Marines or Sailors that have been killed in action.

Her accomplishments despite illness is truly inspirational. In addition to her support for Marines and their families, she is the foundation on which our family is built. Her humor, optimism and problem solving has helped all of us through many obstacles. Most recently, she has been fighting to save her home. With my father being unemployed for over 16 months and the global economy in turmoil, she continues to fight when others would give in. She has passed on these traits to her sons, and we both love her more than words can say.

www.mom4rmarines.org

www.helpsavehomeowners.org