Happy Mother's Day

Here's a tribute to the greatest Mother's that effect who I am:

“She broke the bread into two fragments and gave them to her children, who ate with eagerness. ‘She hath kept none for herself,’ grumbled the sergeant.
“ ‘Because she is not hungry,’ said a soldier.
“ ‘No,’ said the sergeant, ‘because she is a mother.’ ”

-Victor Hugo

I love my mom and she has sacrificed more then I can possibly comprehend. She raised 11 (dad included) wonderful children that have grown into amazing adults who love and respect each other. I always look forward to going "home" because of the incredible people who also call it home. She learned to sew at a young age & made a large portion of my clothing as a kid. I get my passion for crafts, painting, home decor, and sewing from this creative imaginative woman. She taught me how to clean, work hard, take pride in my work, and always to do the best I can. I love you mom - you are everything that is "industrious" and "praiseworthy".

This is another mom that raised me as a child, although she is only 4 years older then me. Her name is Allison & she was the oldest of the 10 of us. She had a lot of weight placed on her shoulders at a young age. She is the closest thing to Mary Poppins that I know. We sometimes refer to her as St. Allison because she is an angel and has blessed all of our lives. I always looked to Allison as an example of endurance, spirituality, patience, and sought her advice. She got me through my tumultuous teenage years - I love you Allison Dawn Byrnes McCurdy.

I feel that this special lady has raised me as an adult. This is my mother-in-law Annette. She is everything that one could wish for in a surrogate mother. Annette is kind, compassionate, and always doing for others. She is the glue that holds her family together, and there is nothing more important to her then her family (especially her grandbabies)... She has taught me more about myself at a time in my life where I thought I was done growing up. She is, who she is and has helped me to embrace my quirky nature. I love you Sunbrat!

This is my Tweedle Dee (twin), despite the fact that we are 12 months & 2 weeks apart. I think I annoyed Kelly when we were kids, but I thought she was perfection itself. She understands me and my difficult/bossy nature. She is passionate about life. She gets involved and cares about her family, community, education; and is always seeking for change to improve and make things better. Kelly is thrifty and has taught me so much about using money wisely & living within your means. She is a genuinely pleasant person to be around. She is happy in whatever circumstances she is placed in & loves her life & children. She has taught me how to look for good in everything. I love You Kelly Carter.

These are two of my great friends that are also wonderful mothers. They both remind me of other amazing women in my life. Christie is a lot like Kelly. Always positive and a pleasure to be around & Abbey is just like my mom, such a hard worker & always doing things for others. They are both exemplary examples of great mothers. I wish I had time to list all the great mothers, sisters, sister in-laws, cousins, aunts, secret stitchers, & friends that have influenced my life. There are so many of you that I laugh with and learn from. I LOVE YOU ALL!

"Yours is the grand tradition of Eve, the mother of all the human family, the one who understood that she and Adam had to fall in order that “men [and women] might be” and that there would be joy. Yours is the grand tradition of Sarah and Rebekah and Rachel, without whom there could not have been those magnificent patriarchal promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob which bless us all. Yours is the grand tradition of Lois and Eunice and the mothers of the 2,000 stripling warriors. Yours is the grand tradition of Mary, chosen and foreordained from before this world was, to conceive, carry, and bear the Son of God Himself. We thank all of you, including our own mothers, and tell you there is nothing more important in this world than participating so directly in the work and glory of God, in bringing to pass the mortality and earthly life of His daughters and sons, so that immortality and eternal life can come in those celestial realms on high." -Jeffrey R. Holland

My last tribute to "mothers" goes out to my oldest brother Jared. He is a single dad raising 4 kids on his own. He not only works 2 jobs to feed & clothe them. But then he gets to come home cook, clean, do laundry and be a "mother" and father to his kids. Jared is an amazing dad (and mom) he really loves his kids and is always there for them and the rest of us. Jared has taught me a lot about being a parent.

Lastly: I wouldn't be a mom if it weren't for Pip & Pop (aka Paige & James)

I love Paige's independent nature, love for learning, her natural tendency for goodness, kindness, and righteousness. She makes me want to try harder and be a better mother for her. She is great at wanting to spend time with me and embraces my love for crafts.

James is bold and honest. He is gentle, rough and kind. He is extremes bottled up in one little boy. He loves babies and never lets a moment go by without telling me how much he loves me. James is my little pal and always up for spending time with me, even if it's just cuddling on the couch watching PBS kids.

I couldn't do any of this with out the LOVE and support of my handsome trophy husband, Jason. He is all I could ever ask for. He treats me with kindness and respect. He makes life fun and is always surprising me (like a date last night, breakfast in bed this morning, a new bike with kid carrier, and steaks on the grill for lunch today - I didn't do a damn thing all day). He is my Best friend and the only one I want to spend the eternities with. I am so lucky to have him in my life. He truly makes it a wonderful life.