A Belated Birthday!

Happy 49 Years Mom!

Well my mom's birthday was Saturday, March 22, but we were traveling that day so I wasn't able to do this, but we definitely thought of her that day. We even pleased her ears with mine and Mike's special rendition of "Happy Birthday" (poor anyone that has to hear that).

I am so grateful for my mom. She has been an amazing mother and has loved me through a lot. Now that I have Avery, I appreciate my mom so much more. I realize how much I put her through. And then how much my 7 other siblings put her through. No wonder she has some crazy moments...

Here are 49 reasons I love my mom:
(1)She carried me for 9 mos and gave birth to me (2)She tells me that she loves me all the time (3)When I used to get sick she would rock me and say "Oh my little Hot Tamale" (4)She is an amazing cook (5)She taught me how to cook (6)When I won the Miss Madison pageant she stood up and yelled "That's my baby!" (7)Alisha (8)Kiara (9)Jarom (10)Lacey (11)Lexi (12)Sam (13)Abby (14)She would take all of us kids on the airplane to visit our cousins by HERSELF (15)She made us matching outfits when we were growing up such as 4th of July shorts and brown with white polka dot Easter dresses (16)She does a great tornado impression (16)She is easy to relate to (17)She is stubborn, but still loveable (18)She is quite amusing when she gets mad (19)She can be an airhead (20)She loves her kids more than herself (21)She still loved me after I ran away to Florida (22)She gives us great stories to tell (23)You can call her anytime for anything (24)She flew out when I had Avery (25)She helped me take care of Avery through the night (26)She organized Avery's closet (27)She has an answer for every medical concern and she is usually right (28)She loves to play games of any kind (29)She is fun to watch swim butterfly (30)"Laugh, laugh your big fat heads off!" (31)She is beautiful and no one would believe that she is 49 with 8 kids (32)She has soft skin (33)She has had some amazing haircuts (34)When we were little she was either going to school or working... how did she do it? (35)She loves the Lord (36)She raised us in the Gospel (37)She loves to watch movies even though she falls asleep within the first 10 minutes (38)She has taught us all to be confident and successful (39)She used to play with my hair and ears when I laid my head on her lap during Church (40)She would let each of the kids take turns sleeping with her when Dad was on a trip (41)She would let you sleep with her or at least by her when you had a bad dream (42)She would wake up in the middle of the night and clean up the mess you made when you were sick (43)She is so ticklish she can't even get a massage (44)She loves all her grandbabies so much and makes/buys them cute things (45)She loves me after all I put her through (46)She got really involved with swimming when we all did it (47)She would always cheer us on (48)She will stay up late and do our hair, whether in french braids or curlers (49)She has always been there for me

Now that is a lot of reasons, but it doesn't come close to all of them. That list wasn't hard to write at all, I could have gone to 100 easily. I love my mom and I am so grateful for the example she has been to me. Happy birthday Mom, LOVE YOU!