Mother's Day

It is Mother's Day and I have not yet written about my mom on my gratitude blog. Not sure HOW that happened...sorry, Mom. :)
I am grateful for my mom for SO many reasons. Here are the top ten (in no particular order).
1. My mom is funny. She really is. She can always make me laugh. I think she denies that she's dramatic, but let's be honest. She is. And I love her for it. :) This is her "not being dramatic" at one of Kristen's bridal showers. :)

2. My mom likes crafty, decor, girl, etc. things like I do. This is us at "Good Things, Utah" last summer.

3. My mom is a huge support. In high school when both Mel and I were on the high school volleyball teams, she was there at every game--both JV and Varsity. So many hours spent on those wonderful high school bleachers without ANY complaints. And dinner was always ready for us after our games! (Or Chick-fil-a was on the way home. :) )

4. My mom is great with kids. She has come into my classroom 2 out of the 3 years I've taught and read my students a book and brought them treats. She is SO fun to watch with them. And my students fall in love with her by the end too.

5. My mom ADORES her grandkids. (And they adore her, too.) She is ALWAYS finding things for them at the store and visits them as often as she can. I try to remind her that whenever I have kids, she better treat them just as good. ;)


6. My mom is SO friendly. She says she's shy but that's not true. She has the ability to become best buds with anyone she meets in just a few minutes. it's a trait I admire and hope to develop throughout my life. She also has a kind heart for people who are different. She graduated with a degree in Special Education and has worked with many, many children with learning disabilities. She just has a way with any type of person she meets!! Here she is with her aunt, my great-aunt Norma. Aunt Norma was a little different and mom always knew what to say and how to treat her as she was--a daughter of God!

7. My mom loves to travel. She and my dad made it a point to take us on a family vacation every year. We got to see so many different places growing up. I didn't realize how abnormal it was until I started talking about all these places I'd been a people thought I was crazy. The east coasters had never been very far west and very few west coasters had been very far east. I got to see a whole lot of the continental US and even spend 2 weeks in Europe. Traveling is just the best!
In North Carolina:

In Florida: (Did I mention she's always prepared? She made sure everyone had a poncho in case it rained!!)

8. My mom loves pictures. However, she doesn't love pictures of herself. (I wonder where I get it from...) But she always documents our family events for us to remember in the future. Then she gets them all printed at Costco and they sit in envelopes on her desk. :)
**It was a struggle finding this many pictures...I'll leave this one blank!

9. My mom is an amazing example to me. She has always been a wonderful leader in the church and I've been amazed at all she can do in just 24 hours each day! Here is the two of us outside the Draper Temple.

10. My mom is my mom!! Mother in every definition of the word: humble, patient, loving, selfless, compassionate, generous, amazing, wonderful, fabulous, beautiful, forgiving, and I just love her! Happy Mother's Day, Mom!