Happy Birthday to my Mom!

I've been pondering an impossible thing the last few weeks. I wanted to compose some great post on how incredible my mom is, and how to convey her lifelong impact on me. Though it seems easy to write about friends and meaningful things they do, summing up a lifetime of devotion to one's family is a pretty daunting task. So, I'll just share things about this wonderful lady, in hopes you can catch a glimpse of the gift she is.

I love you Mom. I'm so happy to be your daughter. It's an honor to celebrate you.


She...is the baby of 5 girls...grew up all over the place as a result of her parents' divorce, remarriage, and her stepdad's Navy service: AL to FL to Germany to CA to FL to AL...graduated high school early...worked hard to become independent at 18 with her own place, Pinto, and job...self-motivated and driven...met and married my dad...became a mom to me at 19...stayed home in a new town with a newborn and very few relatives anywhere around to help out...became a mom again at 23...was always disciplined, with a weekly schedule of ironing day, laundry day, grocery day....sewed clothes for herself and me...is a meticulous, detailed person...skilled and talented...bravely helped clear over an acre in the woods with my dad so we could build our own home...the hardest-working lady I know...kept that land landscaped, and weeded, and in beautiful condition, with only our family's help...prepared nearly every meal we ate my 18 years at home, with eating in restaurants being a treat that happened only about 1 time a year...supported my Dad in his job...managed what was for years a tight budget without complaint...taught my class at church...remains faithfully committed to Christ and a relationship with Him...made our family her priority behind following Jesus...devoted herself to relationships, even difficult ones, to be an encouragement to others no matter whether they deserved it or not...unconditionally loves...is the picture of Southern charm and grace...is often mistaken for my sister, due to her youthful appearance...gave of her time and energy and emotion to take in foster children and love them as her own...loved our Isaac first, as his first real mom, then lovingly entrusted him to us as our son...is not self-seeking...never had a babysitter, daycare or girls' night out...wisely gives advice and shares experiences, when asked...corresponds with multiple friends across the world, and maintains close relationships through her letters...is no technical guru, but awesome at email...is not proud..loves documenting our lives with photographs, but with 35mm film..is fiercely loyal to her family and proud of our accomplishments...is a interior decorator extraordinaire...is sensitive and kind...willingly uprooted with my Dad to move to a new town 2 hours from the home they'd had for 30 years...never gossips or speaks unkindly of others...always hopes...immersed herself in a new church, neighborhood and community and made new friends that are dear kindred spirits...always perseveres...bravely confronted cancer, and chemo, and won that battle...is a tender, loving Gramma to our babies...
and an inspiration to many for her godly testimony.