My Angel Mother

Happy Birthday Mom!

I love my Mom because . . . (Reasons 51-60)

51. My mom’s a woman of action! If you have a problem she helps you solve it. She supports you through the worst of it and loves you through the best of it.

52. I love my mom for her sense of humor. We always have the best time sitting together laughing about our lives.

53. I was just the snottiest kid sometimes. Thanks Mom. I love you for loving me.

54. Apple cake. I love my mom because she always made this huge pan of apple cake with a multitude of chocolate chips. Delicious. When we were teenagers our friends were always thrilled about this too. The family rule clearly states that whoever eats the last piece has to clean the pan. So we would always leave a one inch by one inch piece for our mom. What a nice gift from her darlings.

55. In my 8th grade year, the teachers went on strike for a week or something. My mom and dad packed up the car and we went on a 4 day fieldtrip. We went to the Maryhill Art Museum, a planetarium, we climbed all over the rocks and cliffs of Horse Thief Lake looking for ancient American Indian artwork. The reason I love my mom for this is because she stopped at all the historical markers along the way to read the roadside signs to us. It’s quirky. It’s fun. It’s because of her that I went to college and once I finally got there, I opened the course catalog for the first time, flipped to Geology and never strayed far. Rocks, stars, good literature, poetry and dark chocolate. All things I love because she loves them.

56. I love my mom because she’s honest.

57. I love my mom because she’s fair.

58. I love my mom for her testimony. Her testimony is the rock that my own grew on until it was truly my own.

59. I love my mom because of her charity and Christ like service to others. One very cold fall evening on the Seattle waterfront we were headed to steamers for dinner. As we walked past a homeless man, she stopped, spoke to him and then just invited him along with us. He seemed surprised and then gratefully accepted. She bought dinner for the three of us and gave him the change. I'm sure he was thankful for the food and cash but more important was the gift she gave of her time as she visited with him and spoke to him with respect. I doubt it is very often that he was treated kindly by strangers. But I am more grateful. Because of my mom, I have learned this important lesson, one that King Benjamin taught: "Behold, I say unto you that because I said unto you that I had spent my days in your service, I do not desire to boast, for I have only been in the service of God. And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God." Were I to read this passage 1000 times I don't think it could penetrate my soul the way this one event (of so many) has.

60. “All that I am, or can be, I owe to my angel mother.” Abe Lincoln paid this tribute to his own kind step-mother. I can’t think of a better, more fitting tribute than to say this of mine, so I echo it here. I love you so much. Happy Birthday Mom!

To read all 61 reasons why my Mom is the greatest see my siblings' blogs.

For reasons #1-10 see Honor's blog; #11-20 see Cori's blog; #21-30 see Siri's blog; #31-40 see Veronique's blog; #41-50 see Emily's blog and #61 see David's blog! :)