mama

she had her own dreams.

then she had us.

she let our dreams become her dreams.

she walked with my dad.

in this thing called life.

and on days when she wanted to quit.

she kept going.

she shows strength that most of the world has never seen.

and she even did it with a smile and amazing grace.

she knew the day i was born she was in trouble.

girl number two.

the "thrower"

the one with the mouth.

she let me eat sand.

she let me get dirty.

she worried because i instantly made every stranger a friend.

but never got too worried because she knew no one would ever kidnap me.

she let me talk.

and talk. and talk. usually let me talk to myself.

but she never said shut up.

she got us all to go to church by bribing us with dairy queen.

she made us know our cousins.

she made us know our grandparents.

she took us to family pot lucks every weekend.

she made us play outside.

she took us camping.

she taught us to grow up with imaginations.

big imaginations.

she never missed baseball. football. softball. volleyball. basketball. wrestling. choir competition.

anything.

she was there.

sometimes with a cow bell.

she survived our high school years.

she survived hilda:)

she survived two sisters.

one grade apart.

very different views on life.

she out lasted the fights.

she survived lots of pulled hair.

she grounded us.

she made us share a room.

with pink bunnies in wagons.

she taught us honesty.

which meant more fighting.

but in the end, she taught us how to be great sisters.

she made us into best friends.

she showed my sister how to be a mom.

a brilliant mom.

she somehow is an even more amazing grandmother.

she never ceases to surprise me.

she gave us an amazing little brother.

she taught us how to love him.

she helped us protect him from the world a bit.

she then taught us how to let him stumble a little on his own.

she let us pick on him so he didn't get only child syndrome.

she then tells us when to leave him alone :)

she is making him into a fine young man.

even if she is doubting it all now that he is 16 :)

she doesn't punch my brother in the face when he lips off.

even though he deserves it ;)

she gave us zach which makes all our lives better.

she taught me how to cook even though she will always be a way better cook.

she sings and dances in the kitchen with me while we bake.

she bakes me a redcake every year for my birthday.

she gave me the love of music.

she told me to share it with the world.

she taught me that the only way to be successful in life is to laugh.

and have a lot of faith.

she says "if someone is mean to you, smile at them, it'll annoy them even more!"

she told me i could be anything and go anywhere i wanted to go.

she was there the first day of college trying not to let me see her cry.

she told me to me to dream big.

she never once laughed when i told her yet another big dream.

she pushed her worries and fears aside when i said "i think God is telling me to move to nashville"

she still makes me think of her everytime i hear sugarlands "babygirl"

she still stands in the drive way with my dad everytime i leave.

waving.

so thank you mom.

thank you grandma.

thank you joni

thank you susie.

thank you debbie.

thank you kim.

thank you amy.

thank you for all being wonderful moms in my life.

thank you for the advice you gave my mom.

the prayers you prayed for her.

the tears you cried with her.

every piece of you that helped make her amazing.

thank you.