Isn’t she lovely…

Yesterday we celebrated my mom’s 80th birthday! It was a great afternoon filled with laughter and love, and lots of food! Friends from the past and present came to honor her. Family came from far away to share stories and cherished memories of the past. So many people who love my mom came with their well wishes. I was not surprised one bit by the turnout because, well, she’s a pretty amazing woman, who has touched many lives in her eighty years on earth!

Mom, Peggy, Peg, Peggy Jo, Grandma, Ma, friend, aunt, sister, wife…whatever you call her, I call her amazing. Mom has the biggest heart of anyone I know. She is the most empathic, caring, loving woman on earth. One of her best qualities is that she is a great listener. When you talk to her, she really listens and makes you feel heard. She loves her family well and takes great care of daddy!

But, if you have ever met her or spent anytime around you, you know that one of her most cherished qualities is her quick-witted sense of humor. She has always had the ability to make everyone around her laugh with her zippy one-liners. And that wit is still going strong at eighty years old!

To know my mom is to love her. She truly has a gift of making people feel comfortable and loved. From her love of Goodwill shopping, to her amazing cooking skills, to her passion for shoes (even heels that she should NOT be wearing anymore, there is just so much to love about my mom. Celebrating her today and every day with a thankful heart that I get to call her mine!

Love is Sweet

This past weekend was one that I have planned for and looked forward too for a long time! On Saturday, I hosted a shower for my soon to be daughter-in-law, Katie. Katie is a lovely, endearing young woman whose sense of style is amazing. She is beautiful inside and out, and my son is head over heels in love with her. We are so very excited to welcome her into our family.

I planned for months for this special day. I wanted to celebrate Katie in the special way she deserved to be celebrated. I will not lie – there were times that I felt very stressed about all of the details, but it was all truly a labor of love. My biggest concern was that I was able to be able to be present in the moment and enjoy the day with all of our family and friends. Thankfully, on the morning of the shower, my closest friend, my girls (including Katie and Cai), and my husband came together to help me bring my vision to reality. When the time came, I was able to enjoy each moment of the shower. I loved meeting Katie’s extended family, spending this special time with my own family, and watching Katie glow as we showered her!

Twenty-three years ago when I had my son, I began praying for his future. I prayed for him to grow in love and to find love. I asked God to bring a woman into his life who would love him in just the way he needed to be loved. All of his life I have prayed for Katie! I was honored to be able to love on her this past weekend. I am so excited for the upcoming wedding this fall, but I am even more excited for the life that Katie and Zach have ahead of them.