Mother's Day!

Isn't it funny how much more amazing your mom becomes after you yourself become a mom? :)  All those things she did for me.....all those things that I completely took for granted while I was growing up.  Things like doing loads and loads of laundry so that magically everyone always had drawers and closets full of clean clothes....things like getting me to and from practices, lessons, or whatever activity I happened to involved in at the time....keeping our home cozy and clean....taking care of me when I was sick...packing my lunch for school....attending most every game, recital, concert, competition....preparing countless meals... It's not until these responsibilities have become my own that I think wow....I didn't tell her nearly enough how much I appreciated all those things.  She and my dad blessed me with a priceless childhood.  One where there was never a shortage of love and laughter.  Where God was at the center of all that was said and done.  Amazing, mom.  That's what you are. 

Thought I'd share just a few of my favorite mom memories....

• Family camping trips  - she always was so organized in getting us all packed up with food and supplies.  And the meals she was able to produce from a campsite.....so great! 
• Sitting on the kitchen counter singing Pop Goes the Weasel with her while waiting for my waffle to pop out of the toaster :)
• Listening to Joni and Friends on the radio while we were getting ready for school.
• Her words of encouragement to calm my terrible case of nerves that I had before every piano recital
• Spending the night in various airports because of storms, while trying to get to Florida for a spring break week together
• Spending another week together in Florida a year later because we got free tickets due to the horrible traveling experience we had the year before :)
• The day she gave me a perfect set of diamond studs to wear on my wedding day. ( I still wear them most everyday and always think about her when I do :)) 
• Surprising her at her 50th birthday party
• Women of Faith weekends
• My wedding day and all of the fun times we had planning that wonderful day
• The hours she spent by my side holding my hand and rubbing my back while I was trying to give birth to Jack :)
• The week she stayed with me after the birth of each of my boys.
• When she showed up at my door with 2 of my aunts and my cousin to surprise me on the day of my 30th birthday.  (by far one of my best birthdays ever!!)
• And this one....this one blows me away....the time she came and visited last Labor Day weekend.  She left to go back to Ohio on a Monday, the same day I found out that Chase had broken his leg.  At which point she turns right back around on Tuesday and drives all the way back to Delaware so she could be here to help me with what she knew was going to be a very challenging time for this mommy.  She stayed the entire rest of that week. 

And there are so many more.  Thank you mom, for all that you do.  Happy Mother's Day!