Letters From Me, To You: Mamma Mia

Hi.

I had a surprise road trip this weekend. I will tell you all about it after I upload my pictures of the weekend.

Well, last week, I told you all about my dad, and some of the things I love about him. Today, it's Mom's turn:

*She makes delicious, homemade hot chocolate on the stove and tasty spice tea.

*She can be feisty.

*She is probably the reason I love reading so much.

*My mom's greatest hope and dream (on this Earth) is to be a grandma. It has always been what she looked forward to most.

*When we were little, she turned book shelves and blocks into Barbie houses and furniture.

*She took ten years off from teaching, her calling, so that she would be home with Katie and me and be an involved classroom mom for field trips and parties and such.

*She is a hard worker. She rides to work with Dad in the morning, and stays at work until he picks her up, putting in at least three extra hours in her classroom everyday.

*No matter how stressed out she gets because of school, she refuses to become a teacher that doesn't care anymore, even though it would be much easier for her.

*Every single year, she reads Where the Red Fern Grows to her students. And every year, she has to give the book to one of her students at a certain point because she starts to cry and can't read anymore.

*When we were younger and went shopping with Mom, we would dread hearing "Just humor me," as she handed us something to try on. In hindsight, it was pretty endearing.

*She made visiting the library a habit when we were little. I remember bringing bags of books home at a time during the summer.

*When I was in high school, Mom started helping with youth group. She stayed involved in our lives.

*She's a mom to everyone. A mom, and a friend. At youth group she was Miss Kristie to everyone, but not in a "formal" way.

*She will go out of her comfort zone for her kids. We went on a mission trip to West Virginia, and she went white water rafting and repelling right along with us.

*She taught me how to be a smart shopper. I think one of her most exciting and amazing purchases was her dress for our wedding.

*Encouraging is second nature for her. She always encourages me to pursue writing and art.

*She's a mama bear. Big time.

*She adores my dad. Absolutely adores him.

*She took care of Dad when he was sick, and she was brave for us. She immediately found a Psalm for us to cling to as our prayer to help us get through it.

*She thinks that Katie and I combined are the funniest thing in the world. When the three of us get together, I laugh the heartiest laughs ever.

*On cold, snowy days, she used to make us the most delicious cheesy, garlic potato soup.

*She was my friend when I felt like I didn't have any.

*When I felt like growing up was the worst thing in the world, and our childhood Christmas traditions changed, and I had trouble dealing, she understood and stayed with me til I calmed down, and told me we could design new traditions.

*She lets us tease her. (Which is good because she says and does some really funny things.)

*She sent me a text at 6:30 in the morning to see if I could come home for a family reunion because she knew how much it would mean to me to see everyone.

*She has always had high standards for us and our behavior.

*She disciplined us well.

*Her love language, or one of her top love languages, is also touch. I can't sit next to her without getting a little back rub, or light shoulder scratching. I love it. And I'm sure that's where I picked up the habit.

*She still wants me to snuggle on the couch with her.

*Mom calls me Wheeze. Or Wheezie. (From Louise, which my nickname, Lou, came from.)

*She used to bring Katie and me with her to her class. We thought it was the coolest thing.

*When I was attending SRC, she asked me to come to her class to teach art lessons because they had gotten rid of art classes at the school.

*One year, I was too sick to go pick out a dress for a Valentine's dance, and she went out and bought me two awesome outfits so that I would have two to choose from for the dance, and then just an extra.

*When we were planning for the wedding, and I was basically useless, she brought all my ideas to fruition. She was a complete lifesaver.

*She sewed the dresses for our flower girls.

*I think she prays one out of ten times without getting so emotional that she cries.

*She gets addicted to computer games or reading on her nook.

*She is a respectful wife. She sees Dad as the leader of the family, and supports him.

*She does so without being a doormat.

*She is a major nurturer.

*When we were getting ready to move, and I had to spend two weeks by myself, she came to stay with me for a week to help me pack up everything. We had some fun time in there too.

*She does cool things.

*She always used to amaze me with her strength because she would rearrange the furniture all by herself. Or move all the couches to shampoo the carpet by herself. (Some of our stuff is really heavy!)

*She's not afraid to be outdoorsy. She used to camp alot when she was growing up.

*She's a goof.

*She also tries not to send me home without leftovers.

*She doesn't look at Dad's family as in-laws. They're just more family.

*She's still flirty with my dad.

*She gives advice based on the Bible.

*She has good taste.

* She's the first one we've ever seen Dad give up his rocking chair for.

*She, like Dad, hates being the center of attention. She can teach junior highers or kids in elementary school, but she gets really nervous speaking in front of adults.

*One time when Katie and I were little, we were playing with our dolls, Mom was taking a nap, and she answered one of our doll's questions in her sleep.

*I don't think she can even go to Walmart without brushing her teeth.

*When I was in college, she let me email her all of my short stories so that she could proofread them for me.

*When I first went away to college and was struggling with being away for the first time, she would talk to me on the phone, encouraging me and telling me that eventually I wouldn't need to call anymore- that soon, she would be the one having to call because I would eventually love it there.

*When we were little, Mom was a Mary Kay consultant. She would have Mary Kay parties, and would let us play with the facial stuff afterwards and put on lipstick from her samples supply.

*She lets Katie and me do things like this:

*She has a servant's heart. Sometimes too much- she has trouble saying no.

*She's one of the only people I can talk on the phone with for long periods of time.

*She doesn't laugh when I call with cooking questions.

*She makes sure we go on an annual shopping trip of some sort for my birthday. This year it was for crafting supplies.

*She is the master secret keeper. She's usually in on Dad's surprises, but she would never dream of spoiling them. (This was at the Transiberian Orchestra concert.)