mother's day

i'm not sure it gets pretty than my mom in that picture. she is beaming. her smile is so genuine. it kinda makes you want to live in 1981. not to mention...harper looked just like me at 1. i wish i had that dress for her...good choice mom!

mother's day this year i spent driving 8 hours back from the beach. it was a great week and a pretty good car ride all things considered. but at least i got to spend those 8 hours with my mom! 2 years and 2 kids later...i've learned a lot being a mom. it's hard. REAL hard. and i have a new appreciation for my mom. as i try to be a good mom. to teach and train. to love and laugh. and to point to jesus, i am humbled by the process. the ups and downs. but also humbled that the Lord entrusts me with these two little faces. what a sweet gift. it makes me think about all the things my mom taught me without even knowing. by just being and doing. hopefully i can pass these things down to my kiddos too. this list should and could be really long. but here are some highlights and some really important ones.

things my mom has taught me:
-give it away...she is selfless as it gets. she would give me her favorite new shoes that she just bought even before she ever wore 'em (and you know how us girls are with our shoes). all kidding aside...she would literally give me anything of hers and she would do whatever it takes to get me something i really wanted.
-you are enough...she has a sweet confidence about her. this confidence breeds independence. what a gift it has been in my life to know that i can do things, go places and just be. looking back at high school, i'm thankful that i was confidence enough to make my own decisions instead of going along with the crowd.
-loyalty...don't cross this lady. she is so loyal, pick a side and keep it no matter what. that is love!
-make friends...she doesn't know a stranger. she can talk to anyone. she is the queen of conversation. it reflects joy i think.
-be silly...she loves to sing and dance. and i think they are apart of her everyday life. silly = laughter. we laughed a lot. and we sang a lot (we sang 'coco mo' while cleaning the house on numerous occasions). i hope my kids remember stuff like this...singing, dancing, laughing. innocence is a gift.

thanks mom. thank you for you. you are a gift. hopefully i will pay those things forward!
much love.