My Mom

This will be kind of the third post in my series of "influential people in my life," started about a year ago after Father's Day. What better time to write this than a week after Mother's Day, right?? :)




Some of the many things I admire about my mom:

1) She has the most beautiful smile in the world. She really does--I think the word "beaming" best describes the way my mom shares her joy with the world.
2) She is one of the warmest, friendliest people I know, never neglecting the opportunity to strike up a conversation with someone new.
3) She likes to look out for the little guy/is not a respecter of persons. Whether it was taking us to visit the shut-in as kids or telling us to be friends with girls who don't have too many friends at school, she's always tried to teach her daughters to be kind to people who might need a little more "looking out for" than the average Jane.
4) Mom is very perceptive about people. This probably stems from her not being a respecter of persons and the wisdom she has gained over the years. All my sisters and I have noticed over the years that she's usually right about people, but we appreciate that she's not quick to judge.
5) She's one of the most thoughtful people I know, too--always dropping off care packages or little notes for people at the post office.
6) She has born into this world and raised six daughters. Nuff said.
7) She is the BEST when you are sick. She gets Gatorade, medicine, blankets, sometimes little presents, and just checks up on you in this quiet, very caring, unselfish way. It's almost worth it getting sick because she is such a great nurse.
8) She's really good with words: she always knows what to say to encourage people or make them feel great. She also has a stunning vocabulary and likes to pull out a "pusillanimous" every once in a while, which makes us all laugh.
9) She's what you'd call a "woman of faith"--like my friend Haley, you do know what's important to Mom soon after knowing her. And, she's a fighter--she doesn't give up when hard times come, which they do.
10) She has a sensitive heart. She believes in the Spirit's leading and she often examines her own heart--such an important attribute if you want to grow.

Fun facts about Mom:
1) She married my dad when she was 21 and he was 33, immediately becoming a caretaker of two teenage boys.
2) When she was little, she wanted to be a nun, and then the first "Saint Sheila." I think this explains a lot of her current, seriously, saintliness.
3) In my family, we have inherited our lack of punctuality from her, not my dad...
4) She's got a fantastic eye for interior decorating.
5) She has a lovely singing voice--a hidden talent she should share with the world!