To my mother...

These are a few of the things my mom has done for me...
 

• Baked a birthday cake the shape of a gumball machine
• Decorated our kitchen with balloons and streamers every birthday eve
• Hosted brownie scout meetings, neighborhood swim parties and my friends sleepovers
• Sowed my holiday dresses 
• Manually attached hundreds of rhinestones to my dance costumes 
• Attended way too many dance recitals, soccer games, track meets, and basketball games
• Took my brother and I on a road trip to DC
• Packed all my school lunches and wrote on my napkin nice messages
• Created family traditions I will always cherish and continue (TV tray dinner nights and star gazing on the roof) 
• Drove me to tour the University of Madison to encourage my dreams
• Motivated me to travel and see the world outside of Minnesota
• Listens when I am stressed or homesick and lifts me when I feel defeated
• Continues being a mom to me even though I am 28! Yep, I still get my velvet cake.

Gumball Red Velvet Cake

The list of things my mom has done for me could fill more blog space than this site contains. And the incredible thing is that this list could be repeated for my brother and for all of the families my mom works with. My mom makes Thanksgiving dinners for her families with empty fridges and volunteers her time and energy even when she is drained at the end of a long week. 


Her supermom powers are even more substantial when you consider that she did all of this while overcoming the loss of her youngest child, a divorce with my dad and the stress from continuing her education and working.

On days when I am stressed taking care of just myself, I think of how much she did for my brother and I while at the same time never compromising her goals. Even when she broke her ribs and leg in a car accident, she hobbled to the University of Minnesota to finish her degree so she could provide a better life for my brother and me.

Yep, she is pretty amazing and I am so honored to be her daughter. I am grateful for her support, love, and perspective. My mom has taught me more than any text book could ever teach me.


My daily intention today and on this mothers day is to let her know just how amazing she really is. I love you mom!!