The birthday girl!Something I've noticed my mom say every now and then is something about her "ugly hands". I beg to differ. I find them quite lovely. She's done so much with her hands:
She's tucked me in around 4,000 times. Counting all her kids, she's done around 20,000 'tuck ins'. If she only had a dollar for every time she did that :)
She never made me eat school lunch. She made me a lunch to take to school every day. They were creative too. I remember she made 7 layered dip in a little plastic container. . . My friends were always jealous :) Sometimes she'd leave little "I love you" notes in my lunchbox for me to find. Or "Happy Birthday" notes on my birthday. Or when I had a ridiculous obsession with Spongebob, the note said "Spongebob loves you".
I kept this from elementary school :)She's played and practiced the piano, teaching me the importance of developing the talents I've been given. I never wanted to practice, I'm not sure if she wanted to, but she always did anyway.
She's text me words of encouragement when she knows I'm having a nervous day.
In 4th grade we were assigned to write a book. I thought I could hand write mine. . . until the day it was due. I was nowhere near being done. Being the lovely lady she is, she dropped what she was doing to type my book for me so I could turn it in on time.
Us at a mother daughter activity for church. I like this picture because we both have Winnie the Pooh on our shirts :)She's made countless meals for her family and for other families she's served. She even puts the food in disposable containers so the family doesn't have to worry about returning dishes. How sweet is that?
She's held her five new born babies, and one grandbaby :). One day she and I were talking about having babies. I told her I didn't think I could do it, it'd be too painful and scary. I won't forget the look on her face when she said, "Oh Karinne, but when you hold them in your arms for the first time, it makes it all worth it." She was so happy describing that feeling. I don't think I've heard anything so sincere. After that conversation, I know how much she loves me and my siblings.
My mama and me :)She's wiped my tears after breakups. . . and believe me, there have been quite a few.
She scratched my back the night before I started middle school. I was nervous and awake in my bed, and she came in to make sure I was okay and rubbed my back and talked my nerves away.
She's always written in a journal, setting an example for me to do the same. Had I not had that to look up to, I wouldn't have written all the years that I have. And my journals are something I cherish most.
Us last summer at the Winter Quarters temple :)She's comforted me after disappointments.
She's passed the Ragnar bracelet off to the next runner 4 years in a row. Her example has taught me the importance of exercise, taking care of your body, and having goals.
Ragnar 2011She's clapped and cheered at her children's swim meets, dance recitals, baseball games, choir concerts, basketball games, track meets, soccer games. . . Not to mention she drove us all to all our practices and events.
She's flipped countless pages to hundreds of books and taught me to love reading and learning. My mom always has a book she is reading. Through all my school years I didn't like reading, but a couple years ago she convinced me to read one, and now I'm hooked!
She's held my dad's hands faithfully for 28 years. . .
and still going strong :)She's taken care of me for years and years and years; done my hair, tied my shoes, washed my clothes, washed the dishes, cleaned a house full of 7 people. . . and the list goes on and on. She's worked hard for our family.
I'll be a lucky girl if one day my hands look as beautiful as hers.
Happy birthday mom, I love you :)
Amen! That is so very sweet! I don't think I can do a birthday post for her now cause it won't be as good :) You are such a sweet sister and everything you said is so true!
ReplyDeleteI can't read your blog anymore because you always make me cry. You are way too sweet! I still think my hands are ugly, but I now realize they got that way doing good things. And, so I am glad they look like they do. Thanks for noticing. :)
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