Congratulations Peggy Notaro - YOU are Moxie's Mom of the Day!
Nominated by her daughter, Mandy Lipka, Peggy will enjoy a private Moxie party for her family and friends during which she will receive a free pair of shoes, a manicure/pedicure giftcard and a shopping discount for herself and her guests. Mandy, as the writer of the winning submission, will recieve a $50 Moxie giftcard.
Honorable Mentions (these nominees will each receive a $50 Moxie giftcard)
Lisa Hastings (nominated by Emma Hastings)
Laura Olton (nominated by Matt Olton)
Lorelei Skillman (nominated by David Skillman)
Caren Levine Stanley (nominated by Ashley Stanley)
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We were thrilled to receive over 30 submissions for our contest. Determining the winners was difficult beyond words as each entry was touching, heartfelt, and sincere! We shed tears, laughed out loud and were filled with a genuine sense of awe at the love and thoughtfulness of the submissions. All of the nominated Moms are a "Mom of the Day" and while we couldn't pick all of them we do want to recognize them with a $20 Moxie giftcard and a 20% off coupon. If YOU nominated a Mom please email us their name and address so we can send them their gift.
A special thank you to our esteemed panel of judges:
Alexandra Hall, Tonya Mezrich, Beth Teitell and Sara Underwood
Read the winning submission below and check back for additional submissions/excerpts from others in days to come.
And start thinking of who you want to nominate for NEXT year's contest which promises to be bigger and better!
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Submitted by Mandy Lipka:
A quarter-century ago, a drunk driver in a truck collided head-on with my mother’s car on her way to pick up a Dunkin’ Donuts coffee for my grandmother. Having suffered broken ribs among other critical injuries, Mom was immediately rushed to the hospital. She was nearly six months pregnant.
In a whirlwind, mom went into surgery and when she recovered, doctors advised her to abort the child she was carrying for fear of it lacking a quality of life. Mom steadfastly refused despite not knowing how she would pay for any impending medical bills or how to care for an ill baby at the young age of 21. It was the single-most influential decision she ever made. Two weeks later, I was born three months premature. She spent the following six months in the hospital with me and hasn’t left my side since.
Now, 25 years later, I’m alive, healthy and given a wonderful quality of life-- all thanks to her honor. For the first 16 years of my life, mom served as both mother and father. She made her way up the ranks in her career as a secretary to a high-powered management position in a booming industry and economy. Through her hard work, the company received several certifications and awards. If she wasn’t accepting awards, she was out buying hundreds of dollars worth of toys during the holidays for children in need or setting up fundraisers for battered women shelters. She flourished as the epitome of feminine independence.
Despite the stress of work and making ends meet, mom’s courage and determination never wavered. I never wanted for anything. She made absolute sure that she was there whenever I needed her. It was easy to confide in her and talk about becoming a woman with her as she became my best friend.
One of her greatest goals in life was to see me graduate college. Three years ago on mother’s day, I graduated from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, a dream she made a reality. During those four years, we suffered many trials and tribulations, as every family does. But if it weren’t for her strength of character, our family could’ve easily unraveled.
Today, she is providing that same sense of stability and comfort to my grandmother who’s been battling esophageal cancer for the past year. Mom felt the brunt of the disease as the primary caretaker, but transformed into an incredible nurse.
After a grueling year of economical and emotional turmoil, she kept focus on family and never lost her cool during incredibly tumultuous times. She’s constantly placing the needs of others above her own. For once, I’d love to see her get pampered. After all, she’s the glue that holds our family together and she’ll never know how much she means to each of us. She risked it all for my happiness and care, never once feeling sorry for herself. Now she’s sacrificing it all for her mother. I’d just like to take this opportunity to thank her for being the wonderful woman she is in this world. Please honor my mother, Peggy Notaro, with this gift.
