Here's to You, Mom

It's the holiday season and I am 1,500 miles from home and I miss my mom.  I wanted to take a minute and spotlight a few of the things, in no particular order, that make my Mom special.  Here's to you mom.

1. She is involved in the community.  She takes every opportunity to help our town and make it better.  The flowers on the corner are always beautiful and the trees make the town inviting.  Thanks Mom for making our town beautiful and for all the other events that you take part in to make the town better.
2. She is a good cook even though she might not think so.  My favorite food ever is my mom's lasagna.  I have never tasted another that comes close.
3. She is a hard worker.  She always worked when I was growing up.  She worked at a pizza and sub place for a while and she had to be to work at 4:00 a.m. to make the dough.  But she still came home from a long day at work and cleaned the house and made dinner.  
4. She is the best waitress ever!  I loved working alongside my mother for 5 summers as a busgirl and then as a waitress.  She taught me all the tricks of the trade, although I was not even close to being as good of a waitress as she is.  Those are some good memories.  She has a way of engaging people and making them feel welcome and special.  I was always proud to tell people at work that you are my mom.
5. She is an amazing sewer.  When I was little my mom always made my dresses.  One time she even made matching Easter dresses for her, me, and my doll.  This year she made my girls Christmas dresses and every time the girls wear them they say "We look like beautiful princesses," and they have to tell everyone they see that their Grandma made their dresses.
6. She is honest in everything.
7. She is thoughtful and considerate of others, always worrying about them and thinking of what she can do to help them.  I know a lot of her energy goes to worrying about grandkids and children and what she can do to help them.
8. Her home is always open to others.  Whether it be for a place to live or just a place to stay for the night, she would never turn anyone away regardless of what was going on.
9. She is frugle with her money and has taught me the value of using resources wisely.
10. She loves to go to garage sales.  (Thanks Mom for passing that hobby along!)
11. Her home is always beautifully decorated and she is always doing something to change it or improve it. 

So I could go on and on, but the point is my mother is an amazing person and I love her and miss her.  So, here's to you Mom for being the best mom ever!