A Tribute to My Mom

My mother is amazing.

Today is her birthday, and being the horrible daughter that I am, this is the only present that she will get from me today.
(I emphasize today. This is not it, mom.)

And so, I plan on making it good.
Good and mushy.
If you do not like mushy, then you are excused from reading.
Because when it comes to my mother, I just can't help it.
(My mom is the girl in the dress on the far right. I always thought Aubrey looked more like the Webb side of the family, but I totally see Aubrey in this picture!)

Sometime during my rough and turbulent teenage years, I had an experience that changed my view of my mother forever. I had planned on going to my boyfriends' baseball game, but my Jeep Wrangler was currently out of order, and so, I needed a ride from my mom to the game. *Pause: for those of you who know my mom at all, you will now realize that when I said I needed a ride at 3:30, naturally she was not ready to leave until approximately 4:25. I was furious. And as a 16 year-old, "furious" means nothing short of fire-breathing, curse-swearing, murder-seeking fury. Looking back now, I blame it on the raging hormones. But regardless of the reason, I could not be calmed down. She had made me miss an HOUR of the game that I had been looking forward to all day, and in my narrow teen-age mind, this was unforgivable. And I planned on letting her know that.

And so, the whole way out to the car, down the street and out to the first stoplight near our house, I railed into her. I let her have it. She was not going to get away with ruining my life. And just when I thought I could not possibly get any more angry, she took a wrong turn.
I about lost it.
And then she informed me that we had to make one quick stop before she took me to the game.
I don't think I've ever been so upset before or since. Seriously. All the angry words in the world cannot describe how livid I was.

And then we pulled into the driveway of a mechanically inclined ward member, and there was my jeep.
Shiny, and clean, and running.
My sweet mother had gotten it fixed to surprise me, and it wasn't done when I had needed to leave.
I have never had a mood swing quite like that one. (And let's be honest - I've had my fair share of them.)

One second, I loathed her.
And the next, I could not have appreciated her more.


I know that this story might not have the same effect on you all that it did on me. And all I can do to explain, is to tell you that I could never explain. Because that's just what my mom does. Works her butt off to make our lives better while we complain about how late she is, throw tantrums about how she makes us do chores, and demand that she does nothing in her life other than cater to our ever-increasing needs.

And so, mom, I for once just wanted to say that I love you.
And that I appreciate you.
And that you are perfect (and much too good to me :) ) in every way.

And now, I must go.
Because there are two girls in the other room that are begging me to come paint their toenails while watching Toy Story and eating Goldfish crackers. And I plan on giving them everything I've got.

I learned that from you.



Happy Birthday, Mom.