Happy Birthday, Mom!

Today is my mom's birthday. Since most of the readers of this blog don't know her, I thought I should share a bit about her.

My mom is an excellent friend. I don't think a day goes by that she doesn't take stop by a lonely neighbor's house, or drop off dinner somewhere, or call to check up on someone she hasn't seen in a while. Her life centers around lifting up everyone around her.

My dad's mother "Nana" lives with my parents for about half of each year. Mom takes Nana with her on errands, finds ways she can help around the house, and happily takes the time to meet her needs. It would be easy to grumble about a situation like that, but Mom is just happy that we can help her in this stage of her life.

Even in the smallest details, Mom looks for ways to help. Our family is a big fan of board games, so we're often found around a table playing games. You'll rarely find us playing a game, though, without a bowl of apple wedges, orange slices, or fresh-baked cookies that Mom prepared. (This was such a common occurrence, in fact, that Tianna now accuses me of not knowing how to slice my own apple.) Nobody ever asks her to do it—she just sees a need and looks to fill it. She does the same thing even when she's not playing; my friends have often been pleasantly surprised to see a fresh plate of cookies and apple wedges show up in the middle of some game.

Settlers of Catan on the far end, Small World on the near end, and snacks provided by Mom in the middle. Ignore angry-faced Nick in the middle; he's just being a goof.

Mom is also fun to be around, and she does some really goofy things. For example, I remember watching her and Jessa have an entire conversation consisting wholly of humming. I was utterly lost, but it apparently had something to do with the flavors of ice cream available in the freezer, and how big a portion Jessa wanted. I was dying of laughter by the end. She's always willing to try new things, even when she feels very inadequate; that makes for some really funny times watching her play Wii Fit. Mom always has a smile on her face, and makes everyone else smile too.

Mom keeps the house and yard looking fantastic. The walkway to the front door is lined with beautiful flowers all summer long, and there are more beautiful floor beds out by the road. The inside of the house is always kept spotless too. I loved growing up in a clean and well-kept home; it made our home a place where the Spirit could be comfortable.

Flowers on the walkway up to the front door

Perhaps the most important attribute of my mom, though, is her love for the Savior. Everything she does is done with the intent to invite the Spirit into her life and bring all of us closer to the Lord. She studies the scriptures often and listens to General Conference talks while she exercises. She has always been a great example to me of how to live a Christ-like life. She forgives freely, serves generously, and gives selflessly. She is a wonderful mother (and grandmother!) and Tianna and I are very glad to have her in our lives.

Happy Birthday, Mom!