Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

This is my mom:

And yes, she looks ridiculously too young to be my mom; most people guess that she's my older sister. She also shares the same face as my daughter and probably my son. Since my kids refuse to look anything like me, they instead choose to look EXACTLY like their grandmother. (I'm not bitter...)

Anywho, there are about a billion reasons why mom is my hero. But here are the top ten on my list. These are the things that I've learned from her that I can only hope make me even half the mother she is.

1. Really loving your children. I've recently learned to really appreciate this. When we were little, my mom was constantly cuddling with us and showering us with kisses even when we were crazy. No matter what kind of stresses were going on in her life or whatever pressure she was under, she always made us feel REALLY loved. It always made me feel like she was happy to be our mom and I know a lot of people in the world grow up without that.
   
2. Working through sickness/tough times. My mom does this every day of her life and it's really hard to watch her go through this, but it's also inspiring to watch. My mom is a fighter and understands how important it is to focus on the ending goal, not the temporary set backs or strains. I'm really proud of her.
   
3. Birthdays = BIG DAYS. My mom always made such a fuss about our birthdays and I LOVED it. We would wake up to a decorated room and presents to open. The entire day would be dedicated to whatever we'd like to do and we'd get to go eat at our favorite restaurant. Isn't it funny how big of a deal that is to a little kid? I'll always decorate and do the same for my kids because there was nothing better than having your mom so excited for you on your special day.
   
4. Giving your whole heart to your church calling. I really appreciate how much time and effort my mom puts into her ward callings. She loves to serve people and she does it in every calling she's ever had. She understands that every calling, no matter how big or small, is important to our Heavenly Father and to those she's been called to serve. She's so dedicated and people love her for it.
   
5. Making ordinary days special. Some of my favorite memories are from when I was sitting in school, and I would get called down to the office and there would be a bag of treats waiting there for me. It wasn't for any special occasion. My friends would ask why I got them and I'd just tell them that my mom loved me more than them... I can't wait to do that kind of stuff for Liv and Adam when they're older.
   
6. Keeping your cool. One of my favorite memories of this is when my mom was teaching me how to drive. My dad started off the lessons, but it was just a tad bit too stressful... And I should probably mention that I was learning on a stick - so every time the car stalled, I think it took a year off of my dad's life. So then my mom started driving with me. Anyway, there was this one time where I accidentally cut off some guy in a van and I felt really bad and I was preparing myself for the screaming to begin--Dad, it was the screaming that I know meant you cared...--anyway, my mom didn't even flinch in anger - instead she just said, "Don't worry about it, I mean, he's driving a van! He's probably a huge geek." It was so funny! I just started laughing and immediately felt calm.
   
7. Sharing your talents. My mom is one talented person, and not just musically - she's been blessed with every sort of talent a human can have. There's nothing that she can't do, and if there is - she figures out how to accomplish it. And when she learns how to do all of this amazing stuff - she shares it with those around her. She never hesitates bless others with the gifts that she's been given. This is something I really hope to master one day.
   
8. Continually gaining an education. My mom is an incredibly intelligent woman. She stays updated on what's going on in the world and what it means for us. Her brain just contains a wealth of knowledge and she continues to learn more about everything. It was always nice to have her give my papers a look over throughout my high school and college careers.
   
9. Willing to do anything for your family. My mom had to give up being home with us and spent a lot of my childhood working. This is probably one of the hardest things she's ever had to do, but she was willing to do it so that she could give my brothers and me the things she never had as a child. As a newish mom, I'm just understanding how hard that must have been for her.
   
10. Loving our Heavenly Father. My mom really loves our Heavenly Father and depends on Him so much. She's been an example to me of His love and I'm so grateful for that. You can always find her each morning praying to Him and reading His instruction in the scriptures. She takes her problems to Him and counsels me to do the same.
    

As I started making this list, there were about a billion more things that were popping up in my mind that I wanted to share, but I'll keep it shortish. Love you, Mom! Happy Mother's Day!