Mother's Day

My Mom:

• My mother was ALWAYS there for me after school. I never had to come home to an empty house. She always made the sacrifice to make sure that she was home for us when we were done with school- which really meant a lot to me. Home was a safe haven for me because she made such a sacrifice on her part to make it that way for us. Her always being home was the most comforting thing for me, especially as I got older.
• My mother has always been a strong mom. Yes she is in great shape, but that isn't what I am referring to :) My mother has always been strong in the aspect of teaching us to believe in ourselves and to be confident. She has always taught us to never be afraid to try. Never be afraid of who we are. Never  allow others to determine what we should become. She has taught us mostly by her example, as she has lived so far from her home and has made so much of herself because of her attitude to try, no matter what the outcome or what others may think. If I could sum up my mother's attitude on tough things, it would be to "Just Do It". I have loved this about her, and I am so grateful she has instilled this in me.
• My Mother was/is the BEST cook. I remember when I was younger wishing we could have mac n' cheese or just a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for dinner, instead of "stinky" fish with spinach. Now as a mom and a wife I think of how easy it would be to just make mac n' cheese or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for dinner haha. I am not saying that having that for dinner is bad or that I don't do this on occasion, however I am wanting to thank my mom for pushing through our complaints of stinky fish and such and still kept cooking good homemade food for our benefit. This took so much time and energy on her part, and I thank her from the bottom of my heart. Now I love trying new foods and I simply have a love of FOOD. 
• My mother instilled in me a strong sense of culture. It ties in with her being strong-willed and teaching us to have confidence in who we are. I remember the first time when I recognized that I was different from others. I didn't have the cute button nose or hair that was straight when I woke up. I remember wishing that I had those things when I was younger. One day my mother must have heard me saying that or I might have been telling her about how I was teased about my nose at school. She at that moment made it very clear that that is what made me beautiful and different from the rest of the girls. It is a mark of being European, and that is what makes me special. It took a while for me to accept that fact when I was younger, but I can honestly say that my nose is one of my favorite features now. I love it because it makes me different and unique. It makes me "Mon". It shows that I am European, which is such a special culture to me and something I am very proud of. It makes me special, and that is because I had a mom that took the time to tell me so. 
• My mother was my number one supporter throughout our high school athletics. It can be a family joke about how you always knew where my mom was at during our games, but I honestly can't say how much it meant to me. I always felt on top of the world when I would play because my mother made me feel like I was. She wasn't one to tell us that we were the best or that we were amazing (which we weren't, but you know what I mean :) but through her actions of getting excited and cheering us on; I felt like a million bucks. Whenever I felt like giving up or not trying as hard in any of the events, I would always hear my mom cheering me on and I knew that I couldn't let her down. She didn't have to say anything because through her actions she said it all. She loved supporting us and her enthusiasm for the games were contagious. I will always remember that about my mom. 
• My favorite memory with my mother was just recently. The first month that we brought the girls home, my mother sacrificed her time and came up and helped me adjust. This was special to me because I had my mom all to myself for that little time. We would talk about everything and laugh at the girls and the mistakes we would make with learning to take care of twins. It was a blast for me, even though I probably haven't told her that enough. It will be a time that I will always remember.
• I can go on-and-on about my mother. She is amazing. I hope she knows how much she means to me and how much I want to aspire to be the mother that she was to us.  I love you mom! Happy Mother's Day!

I also would like to mention Oli's mom. She is such a special woman in my life. I will always be so, so grateful to her for teaching her son to be such a good man. Her sacrificing her time to stay at home and to raise Oli in such a loving environment has made such an impact in my life. Oli was taught how to treat a woman and how to be a good husband and father, and I know that a lot of this is attributed to his mom. Louette is always so kind and so sweet. She has always made me feel like I was her daughter from the very first. I have never felt like I didn't belong in the family.She has taken me in with open arms and has been such a large influence in my life. She has raised well-educated, kind, and loving children who have also accepted me with open arms and have taken me in like a sibling. We miss her and her contagious laugh, optimistic outlook on life, and her delicious food that she always had ready whenever we came over to visit, but we know that she is serving the Lord, and we are so grateful for that sacrifice. We love you Louette!


I also can't help but say how excited I am to be apart of this Mother's Day this year. I can not sum up in words how I love being a mom. It is seriously so amazing. Besides being a wife, this is the most fulfilling thing I have ever done. Ever. I love being a mom to these two beautiful girls and I hope that I can give them the life that they deserve. I can't help but feel so blessed.

I want to wish all of you mothers out there a Happy Mother's Day. I would also like to recognize those who do not have children but who are so loving to children that are not of their own! Happy Mother's Day!! I hope you have a wonderful day that you deserve!!