7 Reasons I love my Mom...

Today marks my sweet mom's Birthday and so I thought what a better way to celebrate her "_7th" (you'll have to ask her :) birthday than to share with you all 7 reasons why / things I love about my Mom...



1. With the help of my dad, my mom always felt it was worth whatever sacrifices needed to be made to stay at home with my sister and I as we were growing up. She gave up a career outside the home and I'm sure many days wished she could have passed the day behind a desk rather than behind a kitchen sink... but she was always there for us. Whether it was a forgotten lunch, a sick day at home, meeting us at the door when we had had a bad day... she was always there and I will always be so grateful for that.

2. My mom is the queen of running a household. She modeled for me and showed me in so many ways how to take care of not only the people within a home, but the home itself. She is the organizational guru of our family and we have always said that without her, our family could not function :)

3. I love my mom's laughter. I remember many times when my dad would be traveling... leaving just us girls at home :) There were many a night that my sister and I would get my mom laughing so hard that no noises could be heard coming from her, just the tears of laughter running down her face, the movement of her body as it felt her laughter, and the huge smile across her face to prove that there was great laughter in her heart :)

4. My mom taught me the art of showing, truly showing others that you love them. When I say showing I mean in action, which my mom is great at! She is amazing at taking care of others, thinking of every detail, being prepared, and acts of service. She taught both my sister and I how to model acts of service in our own lives' for others.

5. My mom makes birthdays so special. I can remember growing up that she would make posters for our bedrooms saying... Happy Birthday Laura! She would make a special breakfast, complete with the little bear that sat on your plate saying "You are Special" She would often make cupcakes or cookies for us and our friends at school on our birthdays. And that evening would be a special birthday dinner, complete with your special requests, a giant cookie birthday cake, and birthday balloon. We never doubted for a second that day how much we were treasured!

6. My mom is a wonderful Nana to my son. She was there by my side as he entered this world and walked beside me for the next few weeks as she stayed with Gary and I. She walked me through the newborn/Post partum fog and continued to affirm me as a mother, even when I doubted I had what it would take to be a good one. She has been there every step of the way since as well, not telling me what to do or how to do it, but respecting how we choose to parent Nathan, and being a huge help to us as first time parents.

7. My mom is beautiful, inside and out. I will always remember little things about my mother's appearance growing up... her pearl necklace that I always loved to play with, with her pearl earrings from Dad, how I loved to watch her get all dressed up for fancy business dinners with Dad, Pearls and Lace perfume, and how she was always so pretty without all the make-up that other ladies wore. But even more than all the externals, I will always love how my mom was, and still is, beautiful inside. My mom has modeled to me for many years what it looks like to be a Christian mother and wife, a servant of the Most High God, and a prayer warrior for us her children. Mom... thank you for showing me what true beauty is! I pray that your birthday was beautiful, I just wish we could have been there to celebrate it with you! Know that I love you and am blessed and honored to be your daughter!

Mom and Emily (aka Nana and Auntie Em :)

Mom and Dad (aka Nana and Papa :)