Mom

Dear Mom,

I'm most thankful that you didn't give me away in junior high!! You threatened it but I'm glad you stuck it out with me. I'd have to say you're the lucky one now. Ha. In all seriousness, I would not be the woman, wife, mother and friend I am today if you had not been in my life teaching and modeling those things to me. Just like Daddy, you guys chose to be involved and real to us as kids. Nobody was perfect but you didn't choose to fool us into thinking you were. You modeled grace and forgiveness and allowed us to give ourselves the same grace when we fell short of the expectations.

If I could be thankful for just one lesson it would be this one: "But Pam, life's just not fair. And these are character building moments right now." You still are teaching me this and I'm almost 30. As we joke, I should be full of character by now because of all those moments. But in all seriousness, I feel like all those times when my heart was broken, I felt rejected or alone, I questioned things or people, or simply felt like there wasn't a point, those very moments have built up my heart to make me the very person I am today. It has developed a passion for the people who are hopeless and need help finding their way. It has allowed me to feel people's pain because I've had a taste of it, and its taught me that everyone needs someone to empower them and cheer them on in life. In my life, that was you and for that I will be eternally grateful.

We are best friends now and have a relationship that is built on love, respect and laughter. You have shown me through your marriage that committment and life long love is alive and real. I am thankful for that example as I seek to respect and stand by David just as you have for many years with Dad. I had no idea what to do when I became a mother and I still thank God that I had you to turn to for an example. You have sat in cold stadiums watching soccer games, you have cooked countless baked goods at the last minute for school stuff, you have allowed screaming teenage girls into your home to hang out, you have let me cry with you, you have let laugh with you (and sometimes at you), and you have given grace to me when I have hurt you.

May I just say to you that you have been the mother to me that you wanted to be. You have broken the cycle and I know I have a forever kind of love with you. You can count on me to have a chance to take care of you now when you might need it, and every day I get to spend with you is a blessing. I am thankful for how you love on Matthew and become the best Gaga for him.

I may not act like I'm watching or listening but because I have been I have seen a woman of God, forever in love with her husband who wants the best for her kids, a woman who makes people feel comfortable in her home, and a woman of confidence, love and focus. You are one strong lady and honestly, when I grow up I want to be just like you...and I think I've got a pretty good head start.

For you I am grateful.