What I love about my Mom:
1. How much she loves being a mom. It is seriously one of her greatest joys. She recognizes that being a mother is a high calling and she feels specifically called to love and raise her children extremely well. She has told me plenty of times that she knew that God chose her to raise a family such as ours. She has done a great job with the five of us, and I only hope to be half as selfless as a Mom as she has been.
2. Everything she taught me. If I know it, she probably had a hand in it.
3. How she has always taken care of our MANY many pets with enthusiasm and commitment, despite death or dismemberment of some of them. Eek! The pet list has been LONG and includes dogs, cats, fish, frogs, turtles, rabbits, hamsters, horses, gerbils, birds, rats and a few more exotic varieties. Thanks Mom!
4. How she never said no to any new thing we wanted to do.
5. How she was such a trooper every time we moved. The woman is a master packer after about 17 Air Force moves, and all with a good attitude to boot... Well, excpet for that one time, in South Dakota with the paint inside the oven... not so much that one. She knows which one I mean.
6. She drove us, by herself, from South Dakota to Alabama, a 24 hour drive, every summer to see family and go the beach. Road warrior.
7. She drove my sisters from D.C. to TN every summer for the same reason.
8. She drove a mini van with pride and she liked it. She really was a soccer Mom!
9. She taught me to love nursing from a very young age when I used to get to visit her at work... or for that matter when I was in-utero on the floor with her!
10. She had me without an epidural. Can I get an Amen? That's right I just used the word epidural and in-utero on my blog. Welcome to my world.
11. Her love for worship music. She likes the old early 90's CCM stuff.
12. She taught me that if you find something you like, buy it in 3 different colors. You never know when you might find it again.
13. The woman has never spent a dime on herself. She wouldn't even know where to start if you sent her on a spending spree.
14. She loves to sew. Quilts, clothes, wall hangings, hems etc. You name it, she can Surge it.
15. She had horses while we were growing up and taught me to ride, as well as providing hours of playtime in the barn with barn cats and hay bales and rope swings. Good times!
16. She can still slalom water ski better than anyone in our family. Get it girl. Get it.
17. She kills snakes. Big ones. With hoes. And never screams. I did not inherit this ability.
18. She has never been afraid to pick up any wild creature/creepy crawling thing and teach us about it. I also did not inherit this ability. Gross.
19. She is a great gardener. She grew our food long before it was popular.
20. She makes a mean pot of french onion soup with yummy cheesy bread on the top, in her special Czech white porcelain china with the little handles that I love so much.
21. She loves Greek and German food just like my Dad. In this family we can put away some Gyros & Tzatiki.
22. Where do you think I got my biscuit making skills from?
23. She decorated the most AMAZING birthday cakes for us every year. The Mickey Mouse year was a huge hit.
24. She made all of my Easter dresses until I was 12. Ruffles, gloves, matching hats, matching purses and all.
25. She LOVES babies. Like loves them. It's crazy. She is a baby magnet.
26. She has always been involved with our church.
27. She taught me to love crafting. Hot glue guns and Ric Rac here I come!
28. We talk everyday. Sometimes multiple times a day. Hi Mom!
29. I get my love of reading from her. I was reading adult books in second grade and she just kept it going after that.
30. She home schooled us for a couple of years when the schools nearby weren't adequate. We fought... a lot. Who me? Stubborn? Thanks for being committed to my education Mom, despite that entire year of back talk and sass in 8th grade.
31. She cleans like nobobdys business. If it ain't been bleached, it ain't clean.
32. She was never afraid to do anything on her own with three kids. Fly to Germany? Tour the castles? Speak the language? Why not?
33. How much she loves the beach. Wind, sand and sun are her top three love languages.
34. She taught me to be beautiful without clothes, makeup or fancy hairstyles. She just is pretty.
35. The testimony she can give for the way she came to faith. It's real. It's true. It's amazing.
36. She is in a weekly roller skating group. That's right... roller skating, in a rink with a disco ball and fancy wheels. They call her "Speed Demon Ange." Slow down before someone breaks a hip! Oh wait...
37. The way her cedar hope chest holds all her earthly treasures.
38. All of her favorite movies are all sad. I hate sad movies! No, Mom, no!
39. She is the world's best cuddler and consequently caused my entire family's love language to turn out as physical touch. Anyone need a hug?
40. She can do any job that my dad can do, and has, over the years.
41. She never complains. Ever.
42. When my Dad bought her a new car for the first time ever 8 years ago, she protested and said he should take it back and couldn't believe it was for her.
43. Her down to earth practical nature.
44. Her tenderheartedness. It eats her alive if she knows she's upset you.
45. Her never ending search for the perfect hair-spray. She really is a southern girl at heart. The higher the hair the closer to Jesus!
46. She used to wear lace collars, navy sailor dresses and white pumps in the 80's. Well her, Lady Di and everyone else. Nice mom. Nice.
47. The amount of grace and forgiveness she has demonstrated to so many people in her past.
48. 29 years later she and Dad are still married. What an example of faithfulness.
49. She actually enjoys camping. Are you jealous yet?
50. She can only braid my hair inside out like a corn row. It's really funny :)
51. She loves us unconditionally and always will.
Love you lady!
