to my mom...

10 things I love about my mom:

1.  She is generous.
You know the saying about how someone would give you the shirt off their back?  Well, with my mom, this is literally true.  I can't count how many times I've complemented her on a new shirt (or skirt, or whatever) and she immediately offers it to me.  She is one of the most generous people I know.  Come to think of it, she probably is the most generous person I know.

2.  She has a great sense of humor.
When I think of my mom's humor I think of her dancing in the kitchen in front of my friends or giggling so hard in church, her whole body shakes.  She is always up for a good laugh.

3.  She is down-to-earth.
Nobody could say that my mom is pretentious or worldly.  She doesn't like to appear to be something that she isn't.  She doesn't try to keep up with anyone, and this has been such an important lesson to all of her children.

4.  She is thoughtful.
My mom constantly does little things that show she is thinking of others.  For example:  No matter how thorough I try to be with my packing up, whenever I leave Utah, I inevitably leave something behind.  My mom eventually finds the left-behind item and lets me know it will be in the mail.  It always takes a few days, though, because my mom then has to find other items to include in the package--a little book, some Utah Truffles, a pressed flower bookmark, etc.--to make me smile.  

5.  She is a good listener.
When life gets frustrating, my mom is usually the first person I call to look for sympathy and support.  She is always willing to make time for me when I need her even though I'm usually just rambling on and on about my silly woes.  And even though they are silly, she sympathizes with me anyway. 

6.  She builds me up.
My mom has always done a great job at making me feel good about myself.  I've known other girls whose mothers belittle them or point out their flaws.   I grew up being told that I was beautiful and smart and funny and I believed it.  And on those occasions when the world got to me and I started to doubt my worth, my mom could always be counted on for a self-esteem boost to make me feel better.

7.  She lives what she believes.
My mom has always been someone who lived the life she believed she should, governed by gospel principles.  She prays, reads her scriptures, and is a Christlike person.  When I think of her example, I want to be a better person.

8.  She is a doer.
This is the opposite of a shirker--you know, the person that tries to get out of doing things that take effort?  That's not her.  She's always willing to make sacrifices to help others, whether it's picking you up from the airport or making your friends breakfast, she likes to be doing things for others.

9.  She appreciates beauty.
My mom is always noticing the world around her and pointing out the beautiful things she sees.  She is one who will pause to study the changing leaves in autumn or a sprig of wildflowers in the mountains.  I love this trait.  It adds an element of peace and calm to an otherwise chaotic world.

10.  She is my mother.
What else can I say?  She carried me for nine months, gave birth to me, changed my diapers, fed me, taught me to walk and talk, took care of my physical, emotional, and spiritual needs, and always let me know she loved me.

Thank you, Mom.  Happy Mothers' Day!

I love you!

(ps: Mom, I asked Caleb for help with the list and the first thing he came up with was

that you look like "famous people that are on Fox News"!)