Ode to Mimi

Today is my mom's 50th birthday. So here's 50 things I love and appreciate about her, in no particular order.

1. She's a wonderful Mimi to Bennett.
2. She taught me about God and nurtured my faith growing up.
3. She took me and Joe to church all by herself for years before my dad started going again.
4. She has NEVER raised her voice at me, snapped at me, or been sarcastic or harsh with me. Not once the whole time I was growing up, which I honestly believe to be something just short of a miracle considering what a pain I was.
5. She's been faithful and submissive to my dad, even in tough times.
6. She NEVER complained about her job as a mom and all the stuff she did for us.
7. She never made me feel silly or juvenile, even when I was :)
8. She let me learn from experience and subtle guidance, rather than clubbing me over the head with advice I didn't want or ask for. I learned SO much more this way.
9. She instilled in me my love for music and the arts by playing piano and drawing/painting all
through my childhood.
10.She totally gets my ridiculous, weird sense of humor and I get hers too - which means we have each other to laugh at really dumb stuff with.
11.She takes REALLY good care of herself physically, which has also been a good example.
12.She's a great daughter. She has always honored her parents and goes out of her way for them now that they're older.
13.She has always been my absolute biggest fan.
14.She's an AMAZING listener, which is great since I've talked too much since I was around 3.
15.She was an AMAZING teacher (before she retired). She was constantly getting stopped in public places by old or current students that just had to get a hug from Mrs. Driggers. She literally became a legend at FWC and students would still come back from middle school and high school to visit their 5th grade teacher.
16.Her patience seems to never end.
17.She's really good at decorating.
18.She has amazing willpower: instead of going on meds for her cholesterol, she read a book on
naturally controlling it and literally eats NO fats, sugars, etc. She's pretty much a super-healthy vegetarian now, and it totally regulated her cholesterol without meds. She's been doing this for almost a year now.
19.She volunteered and really wanted to watch Benito for me while I work at YCW 2 days a week.
20.She gives, gives, gives to people all the time. She gives her time, her money, her energy, etc.
21.She's a wonderful daughter-in-law. She's attentive and really cares about my dad's family.
22.She decorates festively for all the holidays, which is fun for everyone who comes to visit.
23.She loves and accepts and treats Michael like he were her own son.
24.I know she'll be there for me no matter what I go through, what choices I make, or what happens to me.
25.She's really smart but doesn't flaunt it.
26.She's ridiculously good at math.
27.She's content serving and being a part of God's church behind the scenes. She doesn't need
recognition for what she does.
28.She's a good, loyal friend.
29.She takes care of Joe and is SO patient and loving with him,
30.She's humble.
31.She's a good cook.
32.She spends her money wisely (good example to me).
33.She doesn't sweat the small stuff.
34.Great taste in music.
35.She's crazy - in a good way :)
36.She takes good care of my dad.
37.She's so good at being a wife, my dad still tells her he scratches his head about how he got her to marry him.
38.She's really good at Christmas shopping and making gifts personal.
39.She watches football with my dad all day long, just to be with him.
40.She has pretty eyes and pretty hair and was nice enough to give them to me.
41.She doesn't take herself too seriously.
42.She's not materialistic.
43.She's comfortable in own her skin - always has been.
44.She always took care of our pets growing up, even though we were supposed to. Maybe she
shouldn't have, but the alternative was a starving dog which isn't really fair to the dog.
45.In college she always sent me totally awesome care packages for finals week, birthdays, etc.
46.She's the master of finding insanely hilarious and creepy cards for all occasions.
47.She doesn't get stressed - or if she does, I don't know about it.
48.She's beautiful.
49.She buys cool stuff for Bennett.
50.She gives great advice when I ask for it.

I LOVE YOU MAW!! Happy Birthday! 50 years of the world being blessed by you.