My Mother

Mother’s hold their children’s hands for a short while, but their hearts forever.
~ Unknown

My mother passed away four years ago today. Sometimes I miss her more than I can even bear. Sometimes I think of something funny she did and I laugh right out loud. Sometimes I feel motivated by something she did and I can pull strength from out of nowhere just because I know she would have been strong. She was an amazing individual, she blessed many lives and I am sure that I am better for having had her. Unfortunately, for me, it wasn’t long enough.

Here are 50 things (though the list is endless) I love about my mom:

50. She could tap dance (and did, sometimes in front of my friends…)
49. She would have water fights with me IN the house
48. She loved Barbra Streisand
47. I had to teach her to swim (doggy paddle is more like it)
46. She had six kids, that’s impressive
45. She was a single mother to those six kids
44. She was generous
43. She wore Estee Lauder Youth Dew
44. She loved the Savior
45. She would hide my bra and then sing “Boo-la boo-la” to “help” me find it
44. She teased me A LOT!
43. She would tickle my back
42. She told me I was wonderful even when I didn’t deserve it
41. She took me to Disneyland
40. She took care of elderly ladies (in our home) for 15 years without days off
39. She didn’t let me date until I was sixteen
38. We had a lot of “inside” jokes
37. She had the most beautiful blue eyes
36. She laughed really loud at my jokes
35. She cheered me on when I thought I didn’t want it
34. She cherished her grandchildren
33. Christmas was magical in our house
32. She loved to make everything beautiful
31. She endured many surgeries
30. She loved the opera Carmen
29. She loved to paint our house
28. She loved to sew
27. She bought me a sewing machine when I was 7
26. She loved hot glue
25. FLOWERS (enough said)
24. We watched every episode of Star Search that ever aired
23. She cried when I gave her the book “Love You Forever”
22. She loves Rich and was thrilled when we told her we were getting married
21. She told me she was proud of me while standing on the steps of the temple
20. She jumped up and down when we told her we were going to have Tori
19. She loved to sing Tori to sleep at night
18. We called her La-la
17. She adored my girls
16. She had a great sense of humor
15. She taught me to seek opportunities to serve
14. She loved all the beauties of the earth
13. She let me be myself
12. She inspired me to learn about the gospel
11. She called me Beckie Buns
10. She was inspired by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
9. She was beautiful…inside AND out
8. She would swing in our tree swing with Tori on her lap
7. She encouraged me to be creative
6. She was a wonderfully amazing cook
5. She taught me to love the prophet
4. She loved musicals
3. She always dreamed of serving a mission. She passed that desire on to me.
2. She never gave up hope
1. She was my momma and she loved me…a lot.