People I Love: My Mom

My mom's birthday was June 30, so she's due for a belated post!  I have the hardest time trying to list what I love about her, because I could go on forever and her sacrifices for me have been endless.  I'll attempt a list, but there's no way I can possibly cover everything.

• As I've become a mother myself, I have a newfound appreciation for what she did for me as a baby.  I was not an easy child.  I didn't sleep through the night til I was two, got into everything, etc. Now that I've had to do it myself, I'm in awe of all she sacrificed when I was a baby--getting up with me all night, nursing me, cleaning my clothes, playing with me, teaching me how to do everything.  It takes so much work to have a baby, and I'm so grateful she did all that for me.
• She's always put her children first.  Any accomplishment any of us has had is in large part because of her support, encouragement, and work.  She taught us that only our best was acceptable.  Whether it was an A or a C--if it was our best, it was good enough.  If we put anything other than our best into something, she helped us realize we could do better.  What her children need has always been on the forefront of her mind--help with friends, cultivating a new talent, help with a class, help spiritually, etc.  
• She gave me (and my sisters) the gift of music, something I will be eternally grateful for.  I can't imagine how taxing it must have been to practice piano with me for so many years (2 hours a day with a 4-year-old?!), drive me to piano lessons in Provo, pay for expensive lessons when money was tight, deal with the world of competitive piano...all of it.  She's given me something that will be such a joy eternally, and I'm so grateful for her selfless service and sacrifices.  
• My mom has become one of my closest friends.  Whenever something happens, she's the first one I call.  She is the best listener in the world.  Seriously.  (Talk to her--you'll see what I mean.) She is so interested in others' lives and makes everyone feel so important and special.  
• This seems sort of trivial after the other things I listed, but she is a fantastic cook.  I call her all the time with cooking questions.  Everything she makes tastes amazing.  She always made us dinner.  (Something that I realize now is no small feat.)  She knows so much about nutrition.  She taught us how to eat healthy and how to take care of ourselves.
• She is an amazing athlete.  She takes such good care of herself.  I can't believe how much she plays tennis and bikes.  I still can't believe she did an Ironman!  She's taught me so much about health. And she's probably going to be around for forever, which I obviously am thrilled about!