Mothers Day.

I am not a huge fan of the Hallmark created holidays... but I do like that they remind me each year to recognize my mom and remind her how much she is loved and cherished by her daughters.
I also think about many of my friends who don't have their mom with them to celebrate this holiday... I celebrate your desire to live out the best qualities you learned from yours. My mom lost her mom at 17, yet I still feel like I know my grandma. My mom tells us about her often, and follows the examples she set.
My mom is truly one of those women who is selfless. She's always had this way of balancing encouraging and believing in us, and reminding us that we're human and not perfect. She's just a good mom... even now that we're adults - she always makes sure to remind us how proud she is. She's always kind and always there for us.
My mom also has this way of "knowing". I can call her and at hello, she can hear something in my voice if I have had a bad day, am upset, or sad. She knows us well and it seems talking to her always makes me feel better. She's a good listener.
When I think of my mom, I think of the words: gentle, beautiful, love, thoughtful. Gentle because that's what she is. Gentle with her words and advice. Gentle with others and her approach at understanding them. She's radiates warmth.
Beautiful inside and out. One of the things I will always remember my mom telling us at a very young age is that 'beauty is on the inside'. Whenever we were fretting about what to wear, our hair, comparing ourselves to others... she would remind us about her idea of beauty. My mom is very beautiful on the outside, but I am certain that it's her beautiful heart and soul that attracts others to her and makes her the wonderful mom and friend that she is.
Unconditional love. Always. My mom loves us and supports us even through our mistakes. When I got into middle and high school, my biggest fear was disappointing my parents. It scared me more than anything... probably because she always made sure we knew she would love us no matter what, but she reminded us how much it would hurt her if we made bad decisions that could affect our lives or relationships.
My favorite word to describe my mom is thoughtful. It's just what she is. It's not about material things with her, it's about the thought behind them. She always has been so good at making us feel special. Whether it was her writing a note on our brown lunch bags (she made our lunch every single morning from Kindergarten through senior year of high school), sending thoughtful text messages, or going out of her way to make sure we're always comfortable. I remember when TL and I returned from our 3 week long honeymoon we came home to a full fridge & clean house. She is always thinking about us.
I could go on and on about my mom... she's a good person. I know not everyone has a mom like her, and I am thankful everyday that I was picked to be raised by her and my dad.
Happy Mother's Day, Mom. I love you!
And... Happy Mother's Day to my sister, my grandma, my MIL, and all of my friends & family members who are moms. You have a very important job! Mothers Day.