Dear Mom,
It took 20 years, but I think I finally have a grasp on how lucky I am that God chose me to be your daughter.
I don't know if you know this or not, but you're honestly super-mom. Looking back, somehow you always got all four of us (and dad) up and ready for every event on time. You never missed a game or award ceremony. I wish I could count the number of times I walked out the door for school without my lunchbox and you would go home and get it for me and bring it back to school. On top of that our house was always clean (except for my room. My bad.), and other than the nights that someone had away games, there was always a home cooked dinner on the table.
Being my childhood chef and chauffeur was enough as far as the checklist goes for being a good mom, but that's really not even scratching the surface of what I really owe you a thank you for.
Thank you for having the answer to everything. I wish I could tell you how many times a day I think "I'll just call and ask Mom." Things like, do I wash this in cold or hot water? Or where do I go if it's a tornado? Or what time was that appointment again? But sometimes they're more serious questions. Things like, should I go on this 11 week long mission trip? Or where should I live next semester? Even though its not always the answer I want, you always have one and I haven't ran across one yet where you told me wrong.
Thank you for praying for me. You brought me to church every Sunday morning and most Sunday and Wednesday nights since I can remember. That's awesome in and of itself, but there's nothing like knowing that I have a mom that is constantly praying for me, whether its before a big test, if I'm traveling, or just about my every day life and God's plan for me. Your praying for me, and just simply knowing that is so comforting.
Thank you for showing me what it looks like to be a good wife. The love that you and dad share is honestly almost unheard of anymore, and I know part of that comes from you holding up your end of the marriage. You've shown me what it means to let my husband one day be the head of my household and lead my family. You've shown me how to cherish and be thankful for my own husband in the future and to be sure that I have a husband that loves me and treats me the way dad does you.
Thank you for saying "No." It sucked at the time, don't get me wrong, but I look now at my little sister and think of the things my friends were able to do at her age and can't believe it. I didn't realize it then, but you weren't telling me no because you didn't want me out of your sight, or to just be the strictest parent of my friend group, but because you loved me and you knew what was best for me, even if it wasn't exactly what I wanted in that moment.
Thank you for your sacrifices. If only I knew how much sleep you've lost at night up worrying about one of the four of us. Thank you for driving an hour and a half in the middle of the week to come see me just because I was having a tough week. Thank you for all the times you went shopping with your friends and didn't come back with anything for yourself, but something for all of us. Thank you for always putting us before you.
Mom, thank you for being my best friend. Thank you for being the only person who cares that I found a really good deal on a pair of shoes. Thank you for always letting me have the aux chord and for talking dad into taking us to our favorite restaurant. Thank you for knowing me better than anyone. There are many times that I just need tough love, and there are others where I really just need my mom to let me lay my head in her lap and cry. Thank you for knowing that sometimes I need to talk about it, and sometimes I just need to try to ignore it and put it out of mind. You somehow always know what I need.
I will never have the words to truly say thank you in the way that you deserve. There is no way that I will ever be able to explain what you mean to me and how lucky I am to call you my Mom. Thank you for all that you do. I love you, Mom. Happy (early) Mother's Day.
Love,
Your daughter
