MAY 2019
MELVIN’ S MONTHLY MOMENTS
205-223-6192 WWW.MELVIN.LISTBIRMINGHAM.COM
A LEGACY OF LOVE REMEMBERING ON MOTHER’S DAY
Mother’s Day is special to our family. Jill and I both lost our moms to cancer. My mom, Nora, died when I was 12. Jill’s mom, Donna, passed away before Jill and I were married. We named our first company, NorDon, after them. We also named our son, Bram, after my mom’s maiden name, Bramlet. Here at LIST Birmingham, our roots run deep. With Mother’s Day fresh on everyone’s minds, we’ve recently spent some time reflecting on the special people who made sure we were taken care of before we could even take care of ourselves. For me, that was always my mom. A lot of us may have a similar story that revolves around how our mothers cultivated our talents and gave us the support we needed to get us through the perils of our youth. But my mom was anything but an average story. Through her lifelong lessons and unique worldview, I was able to get a glimpse of just how much I truly mattered, not just to her, but to whatever field I chose to pursue. I’ve carried these lessons with me to this day, and I like to think that I’ve passed them on to my family as a result. Looking back, the whole setup was kind of a miracle to begin with. I was born on my mother’s 41st birthday, making me the last child she’d ever have. As a result, I also earned the unfortunate distinction of having the oldest parent of any kid I knew, which made for more than a couple playground scuffles when somebody made the situation the butt of some joke. You hardly notice stuff like that as a kid; your parents are just your parents. As you grow older, though, you start to think about the remarkable circumstances of your journey. You only realize the sacrifices your parents made after you get old enough to make a few of your own. Her constant care for me, her “baby,” drove my other siblings crazy, which caused me quite a bit of strife behind closed doors, but she wasn’t going to have it any other way. I’m not sure if it was her older age that chipped away at her tough exterior by the time I was born, but whatever it was, my mother never allowed a day to go by without letting me know how much she loved me. She never missed my Little League games, and she let everyone know when her “baby”was at bat. It embarrassed me a little at the time, but now, it is one of my fondest memories. That reliable, constant love that only a mom can give you is the type of thing that never leaves you.
herself to become the bookkeeper for the family. For her whole adult life, she handled our shoestring budgets and always
managed to put money away for Christmas time and birthdays, no matter how
tight things were. I gradually became a man of numbers, too, which led to my career as a CPA and my eventual founding of LIST Birmingham. I took what she taught me and ran with it. Fromwatching her keep us afloat all those years, I was able to truly understand the idea
of unconditional love and just what that means in the real world. From crunching numbers to buying me a new baseball glove for Christmas, it took on a lot of forms.
This Mother’s Day, take a moment to remember how you got where you are today. Take a moment to remember that love and what it still means to you. Take a moment to appreciate your wife, or even your daughter —who may grow up to be a mother herself someday. Most importantly, take a moment to enjoy your family and think about the life you want for them. For those of us who want to provide our families with the best possible place to live, turn to your friends at LIST Birmingham. Our flat fee listing program will help you keep more of your hard- earned equity. This month, we sold our 1000th home!
For more information, give me a call at 205-223-6192 or visit our website anytime at www.Melvin.ListBirmingham.com.
-Melvin Upchurch
As I got a little older, I started to realize just howmuch my mom did for the family. My father, a blue-collar guy, worked in a factory, and my mom took it upon
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