Happy Birthday Mom!

Where do I begin...?
My mom is something else.
And that is a serious understatement.
I have never known anyone with her zest for life...her spark...her tenacity...her ability to be the control freak of the group and not really annoy anyone. It is impressive.
People frequently compliment me on my mom (like I have anything to do with it). Usually the first time I meet either a friend, co-worker, or acquaintance of my mom's...I hear comments like: "We sure do love your mom around here!" or "She's a keeper and we're not letting her go!" or my personal favorite "Is she always like this?" :)
Mom is a force to be reckoned with. And I love her irrepressibly.
For some reason, my family has never been overly verbal in expressing how we feel about each other. Oh, it's obvious we love each other. We definitely support and nurture each other. We just have never necessarily felt the need to put it into words on a daily basis.
My own little family is different. We say "I love you" all the time...ad nauseum. We give pecks on cheeks...we hug often...we carry our emotions for all to see.
And I have to say...I like it both ways.
No reason why. I just like it both ways. I am grateful to be able to express openly as many "I love yous" as I want without feeling awkward, but I also cherish the ease and grace of being able to show deep and profound love without words. I feel blessed by the contrasts.
But now I am going to express in words sweet and mushy sentiments that I would probably not say...at least not without blushing furiously.

Mom, get a tissue. I know your eyes 'leak' as badly as mine do. :)

My mom is as near perfect as a mom can get.
She supports...she loves...she laughs...she encourages...she helps...she plans...she takes over when it's needed...she cooks and bakes good good good stuff...she loves Alabama football!...she is a loyal and unwavering friend...she serves...she is the best wife any husband could ever hope for (I've never known my mom to not be right by my dad's side during his 40+ years as a Methodist minister. She is, has always been, and will forever be my dad's best friend. I've known since I was a little girl that I wanted a marriage like theirs. I would not settle for less. And fortunately, I have been blessed to be married to my best friend as well)...she is brilliant...she is funny (sometimes she'll bomb a perfectly good joke, but it always winds up being funny anyway. When something makes her really laugh...she cannot stop...for a long long time)...she is witty...she is creative...she is dedicated...she volunteers...she supervises...she keeps up with laundry (and anyone who knows me at all will know this is HUGE in my book!)...she is tactful...she can also give it to you straight...she is energetic...she is compassionate...she is...so much more.
I have learned so much from my mom.
I have learned how to work hard...how to enjoy reading to my children...how Saturdays are the best days to change sheets on the bed...how to truly support my husband...how to laugh it off...how to be negative and positive at the same time...how to be outgoing...how to never meet a stranger...how to appreciate...how to make cinnamon toast...how to fold towels (the right way)...how to study...how to be a bookworm...to be resilient...to overcome deep sorrow and heartache...to love our Father in Heaven and our Savior...to pray, mean it, and expect an answer...to love even when you don't necessarily like...and so much more.

My mom is my role model.
I only hope I have made her proud. I can in no way make a dent in the many ways I admire my mom. It is just impossible.
But I have saved the best til last.
My most bestest favoritest thing about my mom is that she is the best Goppie ever!
Granted, she may be the only 'Goppie', but she is without a doubt the best grandmother ever!
Oh, how she loves her grandbabies! She plays...and I mean she plays with them. She encourages playtime and coloring and storytime and just funtime. She is so much better than me at being a mom. I have no problem admitting it. It is what it is. But even as a mere shadow of the mom she is...that is more than I deserve.

I probably should post pictures of her with the girls, but these with little man are the most recent and it just captures perfectly one of the many things I love about her as 'Goppie'.




I am so extremely grateful to have my mom in my life.
We all are better because of her.
So Happy Happy Birthday, Mom!
Thank you for putting up with me.
Thank you for understanding me through my sassiness.
Thank you for rolling your eyes and moving forward when I've been difficult.
Thank you for showing me that it's okay to not be perfect,
but that it's better to pretend that everyone else is anyway. :)

I love you.