Mother's Day...

Happy Mothers Day! I just wanted to say Happy Mothers Day to my Mom and Mother in-law and sister in-laws and Grandma's and Aunts and Adopted Aunts. :) I am so blessed to have so many wonderful friends who are mother's and friend's who are like second mother's to my Children. To ALL of you I say "Thank-you! For encouraging me as a mother and loving and nurturing my children!". I am so thankful for my mother. She chose to homeschool me, when it was unheard of. She gave up her ten year teaching career to be home with me. And, no. Its not because we got along so well, that she just wanted to be with me. Actually,her and I butted heads. A lot. I hear many woman say " I could never homeschool my kids.They drive me crazy." And to that I say "That is exactly why my Mom chose to homeschool me!" She has often said "I realized God gave you to me , and it wasn't you that needed a heart change, it was me. I was choosing to be frustrated or annoyed with you. And was that reasoning, a Godly reason to put you in school? What was I telling God when I choose to be frustrated and annoyed? That I did not want what He blessed me with?". I know I am who I am today because my mom choose to step out in faith. What a HUGE testimony that has been in my own life. My mother loved to be with us. And exemplified that on a daily basis. In turn by knowing she enjoyed our company, I enjoyed hers. She is my best friend second to my husband. She practiced attachment parenting when no one had coined the term. She was ahead of her time. She can speak truth into my life, and I never question her intentions. I know she wants only the best for me. From a tiny girl she always told me I could tell her anything. I have never heard her utter "A told you so". She told me I could be anything I wanted to be. And let me try anything I was interested in. She did not fo rce homeschooling but as I got older any other form of school just did not appeal to me. I loved being with my Mom and goofy brother's. She gave the big picture. Never one to shy away from praying with us and over us. Reading scripture to us and over us. Pointing us to the Lord and not her own philosophy. Constantly asking us. "Well, what does God's Word say about that?". And making us think about it, and look up scripture. She made us want to claim our faith as our own. Not inherited because its what we grew up doing. She gave me a love for music, but did not force us to play something. She drove me an hour ONE WAY three days a week for gymnastics!!!! Because she believed I deserved the very best and wanted me to be successful. She made our home the "cool" place to hang out. But mostly she made it feel like home to anyone who walked through the door. She was the Hands and Feet of Christ to me. And lead by example. I am SO thankful and blessed to call her my Mother. I love you Mom!