To my Inspiration...

Happy Mother’s day to the best mommy out there!

I would like to take the time and honor her and list the many reasons she is the best. :)

When I was younger and in VBS, we learned the verse from Psalms: “The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.” I remember thinking, “That describes mom.” And it was so true. My mom has an incredible amount of patience (trust me, she had to have had patience raising myself, not to mention 8 kids).

Standing true and firm in her convictions, my mom brought my older brother and I home and began to teach us when I was just in Kindergarten. We had our own school room and my mom made binders and school boxes that were color coded for each of us. Everything was organized to the T and we had a wonderful schedule (my mom LOVES creating schedules).

My mom is a go getter and she even tried teaching us things she didn’t know, including Piano. I remember sitting at our organ besides my mom, and learning to play together.

In the afternoon we would have music appreciation and “tea time.” My mom taught us about classical composers and we would practice our manners.

She is most definitely a teacher and I know this is where I get my own love of teaching from. My mom’s face lights up and she’s found her niche when she is lesson planning and deciding what she is going to share and teach.  My mom loves to impart knowledge!

I credit almost all of my knowledge of the Bible to my mother. Being our teacher, my mom incorporated Bible into our school day and we learned stories and verses and character lessons. Not only was I taught the Bible, but I saw it lived out and my mom included it in our daily lives. Whenever I was scared I can remember my mom quoting verses from the Bible such as, “He has not given me a spirit of fear but of love, power, and a sound mind.” To this day, verses such as those will come to mind automatically if I am going through a tough time. In addition to sharing verses when going through a rough time, every night before going to sleep, my mom and dad would come in and “bless” me with the Levitcal blessing- “May the Lord bless you and keep you, may his face shine upon you…” Whenever I hear this, endearing memories come flooding back.

As each birthday comes, my mom turns older with grace, never looking a day over 30. Alright, maybe I'm exaggerating just a little bit ;)

She has always made our house a HOME. We’ve lived in the same house for over 18 years and with each new member of the family, my mom has found a way to make it work.  Our house may not be the "model home" with the latest colors or interior decorative trends, but it has always been warm, welcoming, and a place to call home where there's always room for one more.

My mom loves my dad and after 27 years, they are still in love.

My mommy is a warrior and a fighter. Not only has she gone through having 8 children (4 of which were cesarean), when she was 14, she had a metal rod placed in her back and was in a body cast for 9 months. To this day, not everything is perfect with her back, yet she rarely complains about the pain.

Something that most impresses me about my mom is the amount of stubbornness (yes mom, I said it- Stubbornness- I do get it from you!) she has. Or maybe, it’s more persistence and hope. My brother Jonathan has autism and she has faithfully taught him, prayed for him, and LOVED him. It’s not easy being a mother to a child who has autism and there are many times I have said to myself and God, “God, I don’t think I could do that.”

My mother inspires me.

(In fact, she even inspired me to write this blog, as she wrote one about her own mother).

She has a love that knows no bounds. She has loved me and been there for me even when I’ve pushed her away. She has faithfully prayed for me and cried out to God for me.

I can always count on my mom to listen to me. I know I can pour out my heart to her and that she won’t tell a soul.

She rejoices with me in my accomplishments

and when I cry, she is often times crying along with me.

My mother has been more than that to me, she has been a friend.

 She has listened at all hours of the night, staying up sitting in the car drinking soda and eating ritz crackers with "squeeze cheese". We have been work out buddys

and we've even got nose peircings together! (but separately, together. Not as in pierced together. Felt the need to clarify. :p )

We've made cards, started our own business, organized, planned, and dreamed together.

My mother is strong, brave, caring, patient, organized, and loving. She is a warrior, fighter, teacher, homemaker, wife, and child of God.

When I say this, I do not say this lightly.

I am not who I am today without my mother.
If it were not for her, I would not be walking out in the calling and all that God has for me.

My mother is my inspiration.

And one day, I hope to be like her. :)

Love you mom!!!! <3