Happy Birthday Ditty

I have been so excited to write this post!  On my dad’s birthday I decided to write down all the things I have thought a million times throughout my life but never said and now I get to write my mom’s!!  First let me post one of my favorite pictures!  This was their first picture with both grandkids!

Knowing where to start is the hard part because there are just too many attributes to count that I love and appreciate about my mom.  When gathering up all these things that I am thankful for I’ve realized that so much starts with an “I” statement.  The last thing I would want to do is seem self focused, yet there is just something so special about the relationship that we have.  She made me who I am today through raising me up in a Godly way and by all the time and energy she so unselfishly gave. So in no particular order here’s to you mom, I sure do love you!

My mom knows how to L-O-V-E.  I think she inherited this amazing quality from her mother.  Her love is SO pure and so evident.  I am extremely lucky to have a mom that loves so purely and SO much.  Even if you are one of the lucky ones that is loved by my mom I don’t think you will ever know the extent of that love.  I think she might spontaneously combust sometimes  because her heart can’t handle the depth of her love when she is cuddling with Ava or Austin! 

She is joyful and her joy is not circumstantial. 

She is an amazing musician.  I love how she loves music. She will never brag on herself but her voice is crazy amazing.  I remember growing up people would compliment her and she always directed the attention back to God and being thankful to be able to minister to others through performing. 

She made sure that our home was filled with music.  I remember she would sit down at the piano and play the most beautiful pieces and those sweet sounds would fill our house daily. 

She is lighthearted.

She loves to laugh and doesn’t take herself too seriously.  I love that she can get a giggle out of almost any situation.

She is “life smart.”  She is one capable lady on so many levels.

She is brave.

She is funny, has a great sense of humor.

She instilled in me a love for knowledge. Seriously, I loved to study… from my first test in elementary school to my last exam at Baylor.  This is because from early on my mom studied with me for almost every test. YES I don’t know how she found time and on top of all that, she made it fun.  I remember she made preparation for a test into a  game and I loved sitting on my couch studying with my mom.  I credit her with making me the girl that skipped college parties to study because that was more gratifying. 

She has an amazing love for the arts and a wealth of knowledge.  She is one smart cookie but plays it off all the time to get a laugh. 

I never for one second doubted that she would always love and accept me.  My mom told me numerous times (especially when I was a teenager) that there was nothing I could EVER do to make her stop loving me.  What an example of God’s love.  The part of this that really resounds in my heart is that she always showed that with her actions and not just with her words.  I have never felt any judgment from her, only support.

She took care of her parents.  When she was thirty-five years old she moved her parents in with us to take care of them.  She somehow was able to take perfect care of our family and also her parents simultaneously.  On top of that she taught piano and voice lessons from home, served in the music ministry at our church, and kept our home such a peaceful place.  I have no idea how she did all that!

She is unselfish on so many levels.  Now looking at her life as an adult,  I see the huge decision she made to have left a great career in the Christian music industry to become a stay at home mom.  She says she wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.

She spent TONS of time with me growing up.  She spent hours playing with me and made sure that I had a rich childhood.  I look back on my childhood with a certain amazement and excitement, I LOVED growing up in my home and I know so much of that is because of what my mom did to foster my development.

She is an eternal optimist. 

She is wise.  Her advise is always so sound and founded on God’s principles.  Whenever I’m in a tizzy about something she defuses the situation with sound council.  She will never fuel a fire but is a peacemaker.

My mom looks for inner beauty in others and was sure to instill this quality in me.  As a little girl whenever I’d get a “she’s so cute” compliment my mom would always say “she is beautiful on the inside too.”  Now as an adult that is one of the attributes that I hold most dear, to desire a heart beautiful in the Lord and this is because of my mom’s wisdom on true beauty.

She talks highly of others.  She does not gossip and has other’s best interests in mind.

She was faithful to teach me how to love the Lord.  She made sure I grew up in fellowship with other Christians and encouraged me to serve on mission trips.  By example I watched her serve with joy.  I went with her a few times when she did meals on wheels and she was so genuine in her love for others.

She left her awesome friends and beautiful home that she has so lovingly created and moved from Kentucky to Texas to start over in her 50’s.  Having my parents close is one of my life’s BIGGEST blessings that I don’t take for granted for one second.  No words can describe how to feels to know that your parents love you above all else in this world to uproot from an established life to be close to you.

She is the most AMAZING piano teacher.  Her students love her and she truly loves them.   I know that this is her ministry now to love these children.  She prays for their families and when you come to a lesson with my mom I know all those kids are being blessed by an outpouring of God’s love for that half hour! 

My mom is tough as nails. 

She appreciates the beauty of this earth in such a worshipful way.  I love watching her face when she takes in God’s beauty.  She does not let that pass her by, but instead I see her feel closeness with the Lord in  such things as sunsets, fall days, and looking out across the ocean.  I feel that God is so near to her when she stands in wonder of  his beautiful creation.

She is an amazing Ditty!  My kids are quite obsessed with her to be honest!  She LOVES my kids and loves to be a part of their lives.

She loves Greg.  I find so much joy in the fact that my husband and mom truly love each other.  Many years ago she decided that his place in our family was “King Favorite!”  I happily accepted that demotion from the favorite child haha! She loves him like her own.

She is a lifesaver to help with my day to day.  There are too many instances to count, but, for example, after I broke my foot she came over daily until I could get around.  I guess there is no escaping for the long-haul when we only live 13 minutes away and she does it happily !

She created such a warm and peaceful environment in my home growing up.  She was so welcoming of all my friends and they always loved her.

She was very involved in my life growing up.  I know I am so blessed to have a mother who put so much time into raising a child up in the Lord above pursuing her own interests.

She is beautiful inside and out.

Her laugh is contagious and she likes putting others at ease and making them feel important.

She PRAYS.

She is humble in the Lord.  I have NEVER heard her boast about anything about herself but has a heart of humility.

She is forgiving. 

She is an amazing wife.  I look to her example a lot in that aspect.  My parents are a killer team.  My mom has happily worked so faithfully along side my dad from the little tasks to the big life obstacles.  She LOVES my dad.

There was never any yelling in my home growing up but instead my parents worked through the normal conflicts in life in a Godly way.

My mom is the best listener.  She is one of those people that truly cares about what you are saying and how you are doing. 

She is extremely thoughtful. 

She is very patient with me when I feel frazzled (As much as I adore my children, having a 3 year old and 1 year old makes me have days where I am a few fries short of a happy meal!)  If I am having a rough day being with her always makes me feel loads better. 

She keeps the most organized and clean home.  She has made her home such a peaceful place.

She still talks about what the Lord is teaching her at 61.  I love that her heart is always open and humble.  She has so much wisdom but such a soft heart to God.

She gives the BEST hugs.  No joke I’ve never had a hug like my mom’s.  When I was in Texas before they came down I used to dream about getting those hugs!

She is empathetic.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!   If I am the kind of mother to my kids that you mom are to me I will be overjoyed! You have given me such a wonderful example, Thank you!  I love you the Whole Wide World Full!