Happy Birthday Mom!

Today is my Mom's birthday! She has always been such a wonderful mentor in my life, and always has had a beautiful soul (and face!). She has always took time for each of her 4 kids to make sure that we are on the right paths in our lives, but not enough to interfere, just to let us know her thoughts and worries to take to heart. Religion has always been strong in our house. Despite the hardships i gave her throughout highschool, she believed in me, and continued to point me in the right direction, even though i tried to force the other way. My mother moved out to Wyoming with my dad when my older sister and brother were real young. Despite her not wanting to come, she chose her new family, and raising them together, alone, with no help from extended family members. Although Wyoming has never been the place she has loved, all of us children had a perfect childhood, no worries of crime, we could stay out late in our neighborhood, always within range of my dad's whistle. I hope she has grown to love this state and understand that by raising us here, we got the opportunity to enjoy our childhood to it's fullest, and not forced to grow up as quickly as many children in bigger cities, and less rural places do. We got to appreciate the country and great outdoors, with no complaints about not having cable tv (we had family movie nights instead!) Our family has always been strong and remain close.
I will always remember my mom for her "tuna surprises", the mornings getting ready to for school and Tupperware being thrown all over the kitchen, family feature films, hours of dangling my hair(ending up having to cut it), and the game nights. I told Kendall the other day, that one reason i do not want to have full-time day care is because i now understand why my mom chose not to. I want to be able to raise my children, punish them, and teach them under my own beliefs and not those instilled by day care providers. The first 7 years in a child's life is the most influential, i want to be that influence. I remember when i was too young to be in kindergarten or preschool full time, the days my mom would come wake me up and simply ask "Cindy, what would you like to do today?" Special! My mother took time to teach me to read, and i feel that i had an opportunity to learn at better level, it is proven that phonics is the best way in learning to read, and school districts at the time did not teach this. Even though i threw many books across the room, cried and carried on, she still kept teaching me.
So with this, Thank you mom for all that you have taught me! I hope you have a WONDERFUL Birthday, we are thinking of you!