Dearer Than Any Other

My mom.

Mother. Mama. Mommy. Madre.

To my girls she is "Bama." When Kate was little she tried to say "grandma" and "Bama" came out instead. The name stuck.

My mom just celebrated her 22nd anniversary of her 29th Birthday. A "real" woman never reveals her age. :)

Seriously, though. What can I say about my mom? Words are not enough to express my feelings towards her. Now that I have my own children, I truly appreciate all she has done for me.

Mom, thanks for all the stinky diapers you changed.

Thanks for caring for me and loving me.

Thank you for teaching me right from wrong. Do you want to come teach Kate the same thing? Apparently the way I'm teaching her is not getting through.

Thanks for teaching me the gospel. For sitting through Sacrament Meeting with whiny kids, missing out on Sunday School lessons, and suffering through the 3rd hour with a tired, cranky kid.

Thank you for letting me explore my surroundings, even though I might have fallen down or got hurt.

Thank you for letting me sleep with you when I got scared at night.

Thanks for teaching me to stand up for myself.

Thanks for teaching me how important it is to have good friends.

Thank you for making sure I did my homework.

Thank you for lovingly guiding many of my decisions.

Thanks for letting me test some of my new-found freedoms of "teenager-hood."

But thank you for giving me a curfew and making me wake you up when I came home.

Thank you for supporting all the things I was involved in. Drama, cheerleading, seminary, ect.

Thanks for helping me get through those rough teenage years.

Thank you for teaching me the importance of family.

Thanks for leading by example.

Thank you for allowing me to move out on my own. I learned many lessons the "hard way," but somehow I am stronger because of them.

Thanks for being a shoulder to cry on. More than once.

Thank you for being my ally, my aide, my biggest cheerleader, and my friend.


But most of all thank you for being my Mom, and for teaching me what kind of mom I want to be.




I love you, more than words can say.