Where I Begin.

I can't believe that at 23 years old I am getting to celebrate this day for the first time as being a mother. It is a odd feeling but its also comforting to know that I am doing something that is bigger than myself and that I can look to many people in my life who have helped me get to where I am now and where I want to go. After thinking about moms for the last couple of weeks I realized I had the best examples right beside me!

I have been lucky enough to have been raised by such an outstanding mother. Even though I am now raising my own daughter I still view that my mother is still raising me. She teaches me things daily, weekly, monthly. I am so lucky to have someone to continually look up too. I am lucky to have someone who cares for me more than she cares about herself. I was lucky enough to have someone sit through dance practice, recitals, competitions. My mother is truly the best because she has raised 3 girls to be the best they can be. I am positive there were days she wanted to throw in the towel. Maybe like that one time I threw florescent paint at my sister Kelsey right before church and got it everywhere in our bedroom and on my mom. I am sure there were days when she just wanted to go and do something by herself but let us tag along with her. I am positive there were days where she didn't think she had what it took to raise us. But she survived.

Now the other mother that I am so grateful for is my mother in law! I am so lucky to have a woman in my life that not only helps me out but raised such a great son. I am grateful for the sacrifices that she had as a mother to raise Kelly. I am glad that she wanted a red headed son & that she could last raising seven kids. I am grateful that she taught Kelly the importance of work, play and the church. I am glad she raised him to be something that not only I am proud of but that I know she is so proud of him and the things he has accomplished in his life. There is nothing wrong with a momma's boy!! I am grateful for the things she does on a daily basis for us. I am grateful for the companionship that I get to have with her. Its like I have known her for my whole life. I love her welcoming spirit and the way she laughs. I love the positivity she has even on the days that have been bad, hard and terrible. I am lucky enough to be able to work with her, watch her and learn so much about giving and patience even with kids who weren't hers but students. She is always looking for a way to serve someone weather or not she's known them for 5 minutes or 50 years. I hope you realize that my mother in law is someone that I not only look up to but someone that I can never say thank you to enough. She is the bees knees.

In short, I hope that if I can be half of anything that those two ladies up there have been for Little Miss Charli than I have done enough. There are so many things that they have done for me that maybe have gone unnoticed to them but they have impacted me to try and be the best I can be. There are a million more things I could say about how these two ladies have been awesome role models but I think I have painted the picture that they are two of the greatest people on Earth. These are the two people that need to be recognized on a day like today because they are rare gems and I feel bad that none of you get to call them Mom like I do! 

There is no way to be a perfect mother.. but a million ways to be a good one.

Because of these moms of mine and their stories, trials, triumphs and happiness is why I get to create my own story as a mother. 

Luckily for me I can look to them for the confidence, advice and courage along the way. 

Cheers to mothers everywhere and for the daily job, struggles, emotions & who knows what else... Because we truly have the best job in the world.

"...Behind all your stories is your mother's story 

for hers is where yours begins."

-Mitch Albom