To my mom

 So yesterday someone posted in their FB feed what are your favorite memories of your mother.  Which caused some things to immediately come to my mind, but there is just sooo much more!!  My mother is me really.  She and I not only look a lot alike, we sound alike, and well we have a lot of the same personality too! 

 Favorite memories......

Seeing her daily reading her Bible and doing devotions at our kitchen table.  She inspires me!  Her dedication to the Lord is something for me to continue to strive for.  I want that closeness, that dedication, and yearning that I saw in her! 

 When I was 8 and had cancer I was in the hospital for months after the surgery for radiation.  Of course if you have ever lived a "hospital life" you know you hurry up and wait.  My mom would always have her Bible.  She found things to be thankful for and would share many scriptures with me.

There were so many people praying for our family, for me, for complete healing- my mom never took that for granted and praised God for the support and love of family, friends, and complete strangers that loved our family!!!

Oh and of course she found time to do math problems and other homework with me as we waited too!  Silly me I thought the old "chalk boards" in the patient rooms were for enjoyment?  ;) Or for catching up on all the school I was missing!!! 

 My mom LOVED pictures!!!!  Think I get that from her???  :)  Doesn't have to be a perfect picture just something that reminds you of someone, the feelings you share, the love you share, the fun you have.  She literally has stacks and stacks of photo albums!!  She always said if there was a fire those photos would be the one thing besides obviously family she would want to get out of the house!!

**Thank the Lord for digital pics now!!!  ;)

She cooked out of necessity.  She loved to bake cookies and breads!  Yep- that's me!! 

 She hugs and kisses lots!
Never hesitates to tell you I love you!
She can strike up a conversation with anyone! 
She would spend many hours of her time helping the neighbor kiddos who didn't have stable families, or just had parents that both worked a lot- homework help and love on the side!!
She also would visit and care for my dad's parents and sooo many other people in nursing homes or in their own homes!  Taking them to doctor's appointments, to get their hair done, or whatever.  
She couldn't "give" a spelling test to save her life.  Her pronunciations were ummm......interesting ;).
She loves life!! She doesn't hold back!!

 She loves playing with the grandkids!  Games, reading, talking, walking, etc.
She PRAYS fervently for our whole family!!!  For the work we do with other families, for the children needing homes, for those that have been placed in new homes, for adoptive and birth families we work with!!

She is interested in others and wants to know how she can pray for them! 

 One time she stood up to embarrass me and started doing a cheer on her own in the stands.  (I was a cheerleader).  Didn't work because I stood up next to her and cheered alongside her ;).  Two peas in a pod.

Except we did have a time of a few years where it was hard.  Really hard.  It was mostly to do with my stubbornness meeting her stubbornness.... what can I say the apple didn't fall far from the tree! 

 She loved riding rides at the theme parks!!!  YES!!!! (Not as much anymore, but sometimes she surprises me). 
She was there at every concert, audition, basketball game, musical, marching band performance, honor band, All State honor band, etc.  AND believe me there were many many many many of them!  She is my ongoing cheerleader throughout life!!
Every time we have phoned to say- we feel God calling us to -------- she is there praying and cheering us on!!!  Never once called us crazy to our face ;).  She just loves us and cares for us no matter what! 

 She loves to find the good in everything.  I love that about her!!!

 She loves to laugh....and yes our laugh is the same too :)! 

 People gave Jason a hard time saying- you want to know what Dawn will be like as she gets older?  Just look at her mom.  It's true!  I pray I can be that person.  The loving, compassionate, dedicated to God, example in my life that I couldn't imagine my life without!!! 

 She won't probably see this post.... because one of the differences between us, besides the fact that I tend to pronounce things better than her, is that she doesn't have a computer.  She doesn't even like the thought of them.  Which is fine.  Because I LOVE HER!! 

MOM- I know you know this, but I COULDN'T LOVE YOU ANY MORE THAN I DO!!!  You gave me the gift of life, but so much more!  You gave me and have continued showing me a faith in Jesus that is amazing!  I appreciate all your love, your great example of a loving mother and wife, your dedication to our family, and your deep love of our Lord and Savior!!!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!