Happy Mother's Day

   Guess what?  I learned how to use our scanner!  (I'm not particularly tech savvy.)  This knowledge will make some smile, some howl, and others wish for my extermination.  But because I'm the author of this blog, I get to do what I wanna do! 

   Since it's almost Mother's day, I wanted to write a tribute of sorts to my mom and mother-in-law.  Because they are just the best!

   I was a surprise to my family.  When my sister was 20 and my brother 15, my mom started to feel really yucky.  Finally she decided to go to the doctor to see what the problem was.  After running a few tests, the doctor came back to the exam room with a huge grin.  Mom was a bit miffed at his bright smile because after all, she felt rotten.  

   Dr. Beckman put his hand on her knee and gave it a pat.  Then he told her the good news!  You can actually read about it in, Chicken Soup for the Soul, From Lemons to Lemonade.  Because yes, she is a published author!  But trust me, her story is the only good one in the whole book.  And no, I am not a lemon.  If I am, I'm the sweetest one God ever made. 

Me at 2 months old with Mom.  I know, I know,
I'm just a doll! ;)

   I was never any trouble at all!

   Okay, so that's not quite true.  The above picture is of me playing in the puddle left after someone had showered.  If I remember correctly, I was dressed and ready to go to church.  Ain't I cute! 

   Maybe that's why when I tell Mom all the antics that my girls pull, she just laughs.  She tells me that I deserve it.  I think that's kind of mean of her myself.  

   I'd like to thank my mom for keeping me alive.  No!  Really!  I never realized just how much of a challenge that can be until I had children of my own.  The first year of life is intense!  I remember hitting the first birthday of each of my girls and giving a sigh of relief from my toes.  We had made it!  They were healthy, strong, and happy and I was extremely relived.  

   So thanks Mom for walking the floor for hours with a colicky baby.  Thanks for taking care of diaper rash and not killing me when I was teething and grumpy.  Thanks for being my stability when I learned to walk.  Thanks for teaching me how to praise.  My mom always had a song on her lips.  She still does!

   I remember her playing endless games of slapjack with me.  I loved the game and couldn't understand why she wasn't enjoying herself.  Thanks for sewing me dresses for school.  Thanks for making me bean bags so that I could imagine new games and then make you play them with me!  

   Thanks for teaching me about Jesus.  Thank you for being a good example of Christs' love.  Thanks for sending me to a Christian School.  Thanks for not forcing me to make Valentine's boxes year after year.  (You can read about that here.)  Thanks for teaching me about responsibility and how to not shirk my duties.  Thanks for teaching me the importance of keeping my word.

  Oh yeah, and thanks for all those wonderful "Momisms" that I find myself repeating to the girls.  I hear myself telling the girls, "Look at the room.  What's out of place?  Let's put it all back where it needs to be."  If I've heard that once from you, I've heard it a thousand times since.  It's like a broken record in my head.

   Thanks too for teaching me how to be a supportive wife.  I can remember riding on the hayrack as you drove the tractor and baled hay while Dad stacked it.  I recall how you worked right alongside Dad everyday whether it was in the field or keeping house, you did what had to be done and you did it well.  Now I realize just how great it is to work beside my farmer and help with what I can.  You taught me that. 

   

This is the inner tube from a combine or tractor tire.
They are extremely fun to bounce on.  Mom even got in on the fun
sometimes.  She could make me fly!

She always used to make me take a nap with her in her
chair.  Somehow she'd get up while I was still sleeping
and leave.  It always used to make me mad to wake up
and not have her there.  How she ever got up without waking me up
I'll never know.

Birthday no.6.  Mom made the dress that I'm wearing.
Note to my family: do you see the hamburgers?
(Mom, I may never forgive you for my awful bangs.)

Mom with one of her favorite Grandsons!

Tea party at Grandma's house!  

   We love you Mom!

   And when one is paying tribute, one must always remember the blessing of a mother-in-law!

   My mother-in-law is the best!  She is a retired nurse (which often comes in really handy) and an extremely good cook.  She is creative and loves to make the girls things and do projects with them!  She is the main babysitter and I love how the girls just adore her.  I hope that they can pick up and emulate her kindness, her giving spirit, and the quiet calm that she exudes.  She's a hard worker and loyal friend.

   

She will sit for hours and read to the girls.
They love it!

   She did an excellent job of raising my farmer.  He's a really good guy and I'm sure that a lot of it is her doing.  

I believe that my hubby was 4 days old in this picture.
I was as yet a twinkle in God's eye. 

My hubby is the baby, his big brother, and Mama.

Isn't he just adollable!  I so want to pinch his cheeks!

   From baking and decorating birthday cakes to making meals and delivering them to the field, she's pretty much awesome.  I don't like to cook.  So, she very sweetly takes over and works her tail off making food for her family.

  So, thank you for being so willing to babysit at a moments notice.  Thank you for loving our girls and taking time for them.  Thank you for making many, many delicious meals for our family.  Thank you for all the work you do for us.  Making applesauce, nightgowns, pillows, and jam.  For helping me can chicken, green beans, and put up sweet corn.  For rounding up strawberries every year and helping us with them.  For helping me with the garden work.  And so, so much more.  We appreciate you.  A lot!  I could not make it without you.  

The girls in their new pajama's that Grandma made!
Complete with morning hair.

   Thank you for raising your son to be a man of God.  For teaching him how to love.  For teaching him how to put others first.  For being a Godly example.  For praying for us.  We love you! 

  And best of all, because of you two, we get this...

   I agree, it doesn't get much better than that! 

Happy Mother's Day!