Entry #6

Sent in by: Lori Rojas

* Who are you nominating as the Ultamate Mom?: Maureen Samsami
* Your relationship with her? Friend

I am nominating Maureen Samsami. Maureen grew up in the Suburbs of Chicago, went to college, and then moved into the city of Chicago. While in Chicago her and her husband were very active in community organizing (similar to Pres. Obama) for their neighborhood. Helping their community be a safer place. They have always been a family that does things 110 percent and this was no exception.

Why am I nominating Mo? Because she is a very dear friend of mine that now works very hard every day taking care of her 5 children but still manages to run a marathon and cook gourmet food for her friends when they come. She has a passion for her family and making sure they experience everything...she manages to take them to soccer, church, music, preschool, etc. She even manages to travel the country by car with the family and take them on camping trips. What she doesn't have much time for is taking care of her. She doesn't get the opportunity to sit back and be taken care of herself.

Maureen had Eleanor 3 years ago and when Eleanor was 1 1/2 Maureen found out that she had Leukemia which is fairly common for children with Down's Syndrome. While Eleanor was going through chemotherapy Maureen found out she was pregnant with her 5th child. This was a difficult time for Maureen because while being pregnant and taking Eleanor back and forth to the hospital she also had 3 children to get to school and activities everyday.

We take so little time to take care of ourselves and I would really appreciate the opportunity to help my friend get to take a guilt free day by herself. To have her own thoughts, perhaps some uninterrupted conversation and be made to feel whole, new and special.

Pictured are Maureen's two newest additions to her family. Lovely Eleanor who is 3 and very shy and very loved by her older siblings...so many kisses to that little girl...(one of the advantages of having a bigger family) and Seamus who is a cutie with much energy and mischief on his mind but what an angelic face.