~~~~Happy Birthday Momma Buns~~~~

Today is mom’s birthday. Which means it is a special day. Sometimes people forget that mom has a birthday. Maybe its because she is so good at making everyone else’s days special that we forget that we need to remember to make her day special too. I know I have been guilty of it. But I decided this year, I’m going to try and finally grow up and make an effort to honor my mom for all that she is and how blessed I am to have her as my mom.

I have always known my mom was extra amazing. I always have known that my mom is the best mom in the world. It hasn’t ever been a question. It has taking me growing up a bit to realize that she is not just the best mom in the world but she has managed to become much more than that to countless people, many of whom I am probably not even aware of.

Mom is a champion of many causes.

She is a devoted and fiercely loyal daughter and sister, always one of the first to volunteer to go help a parent or sibling, or their kids. Always anxious to welcome anyone to come and stay at her home and give their souls opportunities to be healed or to just get back on their feet. She paid attention in growing up to her parents and their willingness to open their home and serving others.

Mom is a loving and thankfully forgiving mom. We as kids have not made motherhood a walk in the park, but despite our stupid decisions that have at times cut her to the soul, she has and always will forgive. All she asks is that we allow her to let her serve us and to love us. I mean really? I wonder sometimes if she is part god as this is not something that most humans are capable of. She is most hurt when we don’t give her the opportunity to serve, even if she is already overwhelmed helping everyone else she knows.

Mom is the producer of the bi-annual musical, herding tons of elementary kids all over the stage and teaching them music at the same time. She helps run the women’s clubs in the community raising money to pay for kids scholarships. She has been instrumental in starting an inn and keeping it running in Vermont on the other side of the country. She is one of the leaders for the young single adults in our stake. And this is just some of the stuff I know about, and there are lots of things that I don’t know about.

Mom is the best wife I have ever met. She loves my dad completely. I love my Dad, but no one is capable of loving my Dad the way my mom does. She is always supportive of his interest and pursuits. She will travel across the world, just to be there for him when he needs her, cause she knows that despite his confidence and astounding success in life, there are always times that he can’t continue without her. She will give up anything to be there for him.

I am sad that my words are inadequate of being able to explain the superhero that my mom is.

I will be eternally grateful for what she has taught me and what she continues to teach me. For the times that she just lets me talk, even when I don’t know what I am talking about, but just need to vent. For the moments when she is able to help me see clearly what I have been unable to admit. For the emphasis that she puts on what is most important in life and always brings our family together, keeping us strong and united as siblings, reinforcing for us how important it is for us to look past each other’s weaknesses and focus on lifting and supporting each other.

I pray that I can pass on the same lessons to my kids and that my kids will be aware of the legacy that my mother is.

One day I ran into a woman at the elementary school. When she realized that I was Paula’s daughter she said. “I love your mom, she is the Queen of Scholls!” I was grateful that someone else recognized how powerful of a force for good my mother is.

Happy birthday to Momma Buns, The Queen!