This week before Mother’s Day, I get to reflect on both being a mother and having a mother.

Today, I want to focus on having a mother.

My formative years were spent playing war, football, catching crawdads in the stream out back and any of the other many games and sports that the all-boy neighborhood I grew up in wanted to play. Mom always let me be right in the middle of it. She never tried to make me be something other than what I was. I was a tomboy. I loved cars, sports, and hanging out with the guys. Still do. Smile. Mom let me be me. As much as she preached that a real lady never leaves the house without her lipstick on, my Grace Kelly mother knew that I just wasn’t one for a lot of makeup nor did I have a strong sense of style…at least not until much later in life. (There was that stage in the 80’s when I wore way too much blue eye shadow…but she let me do that too.)

She always believed I could do anything I set my mind to. And she was willing to sacrifice her own opportunities to help me achieve my dreams. Growing up playing tennis in Wichita Falls, we didn’t have a lot of money. But somehow there was always enough for me to have the right equipment, to take lessons, and to travel all over the state each weekend in a year-round sport. She gave so much of herself for us kids.

Mom taught me God’s Word. She built into me the morals and standards that I still hold today. She taught me to share, to sacrifice, to strive for excellence and how to be a strong leader. Perhaps more than anything else, mom taught me to be a good hostess, to be gracious with guests and make them feel at home. To this day, our home is the home where all of the neighborhood kids hang out…it is the home where bible-studies and church fellowships happen, where many friends break bread each week around a big table. I love that about our home, and it was passed on to me from my mom.

Mom was an amazing cook. She had hundreds of cookbooks and they all had beautiful pictures of delicious foods. I think my favorite treat mom made was her homemade rolls…who has the time to do THAT anymore?

My mom was always the classroom mother. She and dad shared a car and made other tough financial choices so that she could prioritize time with the kids. And she did prioritize us. She never missed a single event. She would bake cookies or bag up candy and have a trunk send-off party before every road trip. Then I would get on the bus with the tennis team or the cheerleaders and she would caravan behind us…car painted, streamers flying and camera in tote. As hard a time as we all gave her for capturing any and everything on film, deep down we all LOVED it. She produced a video for my graduation and to this day 22 years later, I still have old classmates ask for copies.

Mom stood by me through good and bad. I know this is hard to believe, but I made some less than perfect choices as a young adult. Some of those choices must have ripped mom’s heart out, but she didn’t quit loving me and she never stopped praying that God would protect me and bring me through it all unblemished and closer to Him. She taught me to pursue godliness, righteousness and all things holy. She taught me the importance of loyalty to a good man and love of family. She taught me patriotism and ensured I was a good strong conservative and an engaged citizen. A former English teacher, she taught me how to communicate through the written word.

Mom let go with grace. With three children of my own, I now suspect that this, perhaps more than any other aspect of motherhood, has to be the hardest. She sacrificed every day for me and for my brother and sister; she gave and gave until her health and marriage gave out…all for us. And when it came time for me to marry and have my own family, she let me blossom into my own womanhood, cheering me on all the way.

Now, I am thankful to have her as a friend. I call when I’m tired, when I have great news to celebrate, or when I just need a friend. She listens, gives wise counsel and remains my greatest prayer warrior.

For all of this and countless more reasons, mom…I love you and am eternally grateful to be your daughter. Happy Mother’s Day!