Mother's Day

Wish I would have posted this on Mother's Day....such is life.

I LOVE being a mother. It is, most often, the very best part of my life. I feel eternally grateful to have 4 healthy, beautiful, and loving boys. I step back almost every day and wonder why I got so lucky.

They love me with their whole hearts. It has less to do with me and more to do with Mike's example. He treats me like a queen and my boys don't know there is another option. Their wives will be lucky women one day if they can love them like Mike loves me.

I was blessed with an incredible mother. Almost daily I am grateful for a lesson she taught me by example. She was really amazing and still is. Just the other day Katie and I were talking about how she did so many things "just right." One thing in particular was teaching us about modesty. Being modest was never a chore. She took us shopping and taught us to buy clothes that were economical, flattering, and modest. When it came time for a formal dance, it was a quest to find the perfect, modest dress. I have so many great memories shopping with my mom. She also knew how to choose her battles. I don't know how she did it. I feel fortunate to have such an example in my life. I often talk to friends who had absent mothers or moms who just didn't care. I am so lucky!

I am also blessed with a great mother-in-law. She has taught me so many things about the world and about myself. She has brought the gift of music to our family and we are forever grateful for that. She is creative and thorough and great and everything she does. She is a great example of putting your all into the things you do and I'm trying to be more like that. She was and still is a fantastic mother to Mike. He has so many memories of late nights with his mom...his teenage nights always ended with late night chats with her. When he speaks about them, you know that one-on-one time meant the world to him.

I come from a long line of strong women and I am so grateful for both of my grandmothers. They are each examples to me of hard work, optimism, choosing happiness, compassion, care for others and excitement for life. I will always remember my grandma taking plates of food on Sunday to women who were alone. We would load them up and jump in her car to visit someone who needed some food and company...I also got my love of books from her and hopefully a little of her wit. I will always remember my Gummy for the small moments she took to get to know me during a car ride, sleepover, while painting my nails or teaching me a new card game. You could always feel her energy, and I've always admired how comfortable she is with herself. Such a gift.

Mike's grandmothers are also amazing women who have and still do show us so much love. It was hard to say good-bye to Grammy last year, but we are so happy we had so many great memories with her.
Grandma Brett is so full of kindness and love. I am amazed at the small ways she finds to show she cares about our little family. They were and are fantastic women.

So, happy WAY late Mother's Day to me and all the women I love.

breakfast in bed + presents

Lots of love going on

Parker's sweet present

Parker's sweet poem

Jace's sweet letter

Jace's cute present

James' loving note

The Monday after Mother's Day I was lucky enough to attend the "Ma Spa" and James' school. They soaked, lotioned and painted our nails then served us cookies and spa water. Too sweet! I loved it.