Hey there Woman.

Dear Mom.

Since today is the day we celebrate mothers, I've been thinking what to do.  Because well, I've come to realize our family's not that big on big celebrations.  And I'm too far to be much fun celebrating anything anyways.  And we dont really do gifts.  But sometimes its the thought that counts right?  So I thought I would share a few memories.

Well I love you mom.  And these are my version of tributes to your motherhood.  You have helped shape me into the person I am today.  Maybe not all the decisions were right, but I like to think we learned alot from the wrong ones too.   

1.  When I was little I had trouble sleeping... Alot.  And my mom would let me sneak into her room and sleep on the floor so that I could hear her breath.  Her breathing would calm me down and was just about one of the only ways for me to fall asleep.    

2.  Anytime my mom wanted to broach a touchy subject with me, she would try to first butter me up with food and a little "quality" mother-daughter time.  The food would lessen the awkwardness and the being in a car made it so I couldnt bolt.  It was a sneaky but slightly effective method so she could say whatever she wanted.

3.  When I would cry as a little kid, even if it was my mom that made me cry, I would sob for her.  She never told me I couldnt cry.  She just let me have my moment.  

4.  My mom is pretty much why I love to read.  She would read books to us kids for hours.  And she was the person who I read the BOM with for the first time on my own.    

5.  I love blueberry muffins... and one of my favorite things is when I would come home from school and my mom would have tons of muffins for us.  She'd have them in all different sizes and completely made from scratch (which I will profess is the ONLY way to have a muffin).

6.  German Pancakes... some weeks my mother would wake up early so that we could have german pancakes before we went to school.  I know it was a hassle for her to do this but I really loved those mornings.  

7. Bribing us kids with candy so we'd go to the Saturday session of conference.  The more sessions attended = more candy received.

8.  I think she taught me to handle my failures well.  She had me look directly at what was disappointing and I think that taught me to deal with the upsets of life head on.  

9.  She sat with me, made special arrangements and took time to listen and help me practice the piano.  She would wake up early to drive me to a church.  Or sit above Ben's seminary class.  She drove me to lessons and extra lessons.  She'd turn pages and get church keys.  She tracked down the best piano teacher I could of ever had.  She did alot.  

Happy Mother's Day.

Love Missy