Happy Mothers Day Mom

Growing up my mom HATED mothers day. She always went to church with 6 roudy kids just to listen to speakers talk about how wonderful their lives were as mothers. In the mean time, my poor mother was trying desperatly to keep us from fighting, pinching, pulling hair, screaming or laughing too hard at our ward chorister (who was always made us laugh for some reason). All while my dad was up on the stand trying not to look down at us because he would get the "look of death" from my mom having to deal with all our "perfectness" by herself. Mothers day was no vacation - just another day to be a mom.
Now that all 6 of those kids are grown, I hope my mom finally gets a chance to sit and listen to the Mothers Day talks and do a few things:
1) Sit back and smile a little when it's other mom's children causing irreverance (ya... those would be my kids)
2) Still sitting alone... (dad's on the stand as always) but I hope she can listen to the thoughts being shared
3) Most importantly, I hope she can see that all those years of hard work, struggle, elastic flips, and snaps that took away our dessert for bad behavior has molded her children BECAUSE SHE IS A GREAT MOM! I hope she listens to the speakers and can say... "you know what? Being a mom is awesome! I did the best I could and I am proud of who my kids have become".

I hope she says that because she played a HUGE part in how each one of my siblings and myself became who we are today. I don't think she gets the credit she deserves for the hard work she has done and continues to do each day to try and keep our family close as friends, as well as continue to strive to continue to grow and be better individuals. She is the most determined, focused individual I have ever met! She works hard, she touches so many lives and she always is doing something to better herself and bring her closer to the Savior.
There's never a holiday, birthday, anniversary that she doesn't forget. We still get Lucky Charms on our door step on St. Patricks Day because that was one of the only sugar cereals we got growing up because it was a holiday. She worries and prays for us, hugs her grand children, and is ALWAYS there to serve. Even when I don't ask, she's at my door with open arms. She is my best friend, my mentor, my example.
If I am any kind of a good mom it's because of her. I hope that I can be even 1/2 the mom she's been to me.
Happy Mothers Day Mom... I love you.