Today is my lovely mom's birthday. I would embarrass her by posting how old she is, but I save that for landmark birthdays and this year isn't one of them for her.

My mom is the best. Seriously, she has always been the best mom anyone could ever ask for. When I was little, she baked cookies with us, took us to the library, the park, and other outings every week, led my Brownie troop, and supported me in everything I was interested in--and I mean everything, including Karate, horse-back riding, softball, gymnastics, 4-H Dog Lovers Club, and piano. I don't know how she did all that (just with one of her five children) and still found time to keep the house immaculate and make dinner every night!

She is the best cook ever. London Broil? Delicious. It's everyone's favorite home-cooked meal at our house.

She is a natural teacher. She has been a teacher's aide at a Montessori school for 4 or 5 years now and the kids adore her. She is currently the early-morning seminary teacher for the third time in the last 10 years. She was first called to be seminary teacher the year that I started, and she was so good. She always made the lessons fun and easy to understand, even the Old Testament at 6 in the morning! She puts so much time and effort into preparing her lessons. Every weeknight you will find her in the dining room with her manual, scriptures, and notebooks spread across the whole table.

She can't stay awake when she's watching tv. She starts a movie or show with the family and wakes up during the closing credits.

She's hilarious. Everyone loves to be around her, especially teenagers. When I was in high school, our house was the place to be, and my mom was always the center of the action.

She has a "peech imspediment" (which, unfortunately, I think I am inheriting).

She is one of the most caring, nurturing people that I know. She made all 5 of us a lunch every day in school (even though she hated it). One day, while watching her make lunches, one of her seminary students mentioned that his mother had never made him a lunch. This particular student was a very interesting person with a hard home life. The next day she made him a lunch as well and he burst into tears when she gave it to him. After that, he never left our house for school without a sack lunch.

My mom has always been a wonderful example for me and the rock in our family. I love her so much and I'm so grateful for her!

I love you, Mom! Happy birthday!!!