My Elma

 

 

Few people have wormed their way into my heart the way my "adopted" daughter Elma has.  I first met my Elma when she was dating my son. During their dating days Elma and I grew close and before long I fell in love with her (in a TOTALLY motherly way.) When I learned she and DJ were breaking up I immediately sat my son down and told him that although their relationship was over I had absolutely NO intention of my relationship with her ending...and it didn't.

 

Elma is Bosnian and it was interesting getting to know her and her country's customs, I mean that in the most respectful way.  Listening to her talk on the phone is a hoot because she switches back and forth between English and Bosnian about 20 times during the course of a conversation. She's not being rude, she just doesn't realize she's doing it. She's passionate about EVERYTHING, even if at times that means she passionately just doesn't care.

 

While we have a wonderful mother/daughter(ish) relationship it has developed far beyond that, she has become one of my best friends.  I talk to her every day without fail, and I know...absolutely KNOW she always has my back, even when she doesn't necessarily agree with me.  She'll talk to me privately about whatever the issue is, but in public she's 100% on my side.

 

She supports me in everything I do. Not in a "You go girl!" way, but in a roll up your sleeves, climb into the trenches next to me way. When I decided to form a team for JDRF's Walk to Cure, she was the first to sign up, when I decide I want to participate in a marathon, she registered too.  When I decide to ride 100 miles in the Ride to Cure...yep, you guessed it...she signed up to ride next to me.  She is there for every Bucks for Brandi fundraising event and not only does she participate, but she works her ass off doing anything that needs to be done. She is as committed to helping get Brandi better as I am, and the love and attention she gives Brandi's daughter is honest and pure. I would trust her with Bella's life, because I know she would die without hesitation in order to keep her safe.

 

Like me, Elma can be loud and outspoken, and like me she sometimes forgets to use her filters. I understand that and we help keep each other in check.  We "get" each other, we love each other, we are committed to each other.

 

I don't think I truly understood the depth of her love and devotion to me until I had a minor stroke several months ago.  As soon as she heard she immediately called me, and even though I assured her I was fine, she immediately came to the hospital and immediately broke into tears when she saw me laying in the hospital bed.  As I held her sobbing form I knew she felt exactly as strongly about me as I do about her.

 

I don't believe blood makes a family, I believe that it's love and respect we have for each other, and in every way that counts Elma and I are family.