My Mom

This is my Mom. Today is her birthday, so in honor of her birthday I'm giving her the last thing she wants -- the spotlight. What a great daughter, huh? Well, if there's anyone worth honoring it's her so like it or not, here it goes. I very frequently lament the fact that while I am fortunate to be her daughter I am so different from her. She is truly my hero and represents everything I am striving to be. There are so many reasons my Mom is unique and amazing, but I'll only attempt to acquaint you with a few that most frequently inspire me.

Probably the first and and biggest reason I admire her is her dedication to and capacity for service. I'm sure I am only aware of the very tip of the service she has and continues to render every day. I watched her care for her parents for the last 15 plus years until my Grandpa died last Winter. I have watched her serve and love my Dad's parents with absolute loyalty and devotion. I remember being very ill when I was single and lived in an apartment about 30 minutes away. I called her in the middle of the night distraught and on the verge of insanity because I hadn't been able to sleep for several days. At 2:00 in the morning she drove to get me and tucked me into my old bed in my old room and massaged my feet until I finally fell asleep. I know that each of my 5 siblings have several similar stories. Not to downplay or discount in any way what I've listed above, I do recognize that many Mother's have a unique capacity to serve and sacrifice for their children and families, but hers goes way beyond her family. Since I live in their former house I have many opportunities to have countless neighbors and virtual strangers tell me of quiet acts my Mom performed to lighten their load. One lady told me that right after her Dad died, my Mom, not aware of his death, followed a prompting and showed up on her doorstep at the moment this woman needed a friend. My introverted Mother quietly, constantly and sincerely reached out to neighbors especially those who were not members of our Church and were therefore a definite minority. At church she waited to sit down until most people were seated and then would discreetly slip into a chair next to someone sitting alone. I could literally go on and on.

Another thing I love and admire about my Mom is the fact that she is so teachable and unafraid to try and learn new things. She has taken piano lessons as an adult for many years, she is taking tennis lessons and a painting class. She is very well read and current on politics etc. and is also always seeking out and enjoying great music and theatre.

I wish I could sum her up better, but there's too much to put into one post so I'll just say that I feel so blessed to have this great woman as my Mom and my kids' grandma. Not only is she such a wonderful example of righteous womanhood, a remarkable mother and grandma she is also one of my favorite people to laugh with. She has a great sense of humor and can laugh at herself like no one else I know. She's just fun to be with and so many other things. Happy Birthday, Mom. I love you!