My Angel of a Mother

Have you ever thought that your mom was the best? I think most everyone has, and it's because the world is full of amazing mothers. My mom is one of them.

One of the hardest things about going to college was leaving my mom. It was a bit easier since BYU is only about an hour and fifteen minutes from home, but with school and work, it was still hard to visit very often, and that distance felt very far when I was a freshman. Not having her just in the next room definitely took some getting used to. She had always been there to motivate me and to give me her opinions and advice.

Freshman year, I probably drove her nuts with all my phone calls asking her advice or just talking. Even now as a senior, I still miss my mom and probably still drive her nuts with the amount of phone calls and texts I give her (although I blame that on all the wedding planning that's been going around).

When coming to college, I wasn't only leaving my mom: I was also leaving my coach. It was really hard knowing that I wouldn't be playing competitive sports anymore after high school (besides intramurals, which are super competitive!) and that I wouldn't have my mom to coach me. She had been my coach since I was tiny, probably since I could walk and hold a ball. My mom knows a lot when it comes to sports, and she's willing to help anyone who wants to learn how to play and truly cares about his or her success.

My mom is hilarious and always makes me laugh. She is the most sacrificing, loving, and forgiving person I know. She does whatever it takes to make sure her children and those around her are happy and have everything they need. My mom is still kind to even those who have wronged her. She's the only one who can tell Amber and me apart from our baby pictures and who always treated me like an individual instead of "one of the twins." I love how crazy she gets during games sometimes. Sports are one of her passions, and it's fun when she shows it.

I don't know how she raised us four girls (with only one bathroom!), dealt with our drama, fulfilled her church callings, coached junior high and high school teams, and was a school teacher, all at the same time. I know she did even more than that with all her volunteer work she did, and I'm probably still leaving some things out. I really don't know how she did it. She's truly amazing.

Mothers' Day was yesterday, but I still wanted let my mom know how much I care about her and how much she means to me. I'm so thankful for all that she's done for me. To partially steal from a cute movie that my mom loves, here's a little poem that sums up my mom: "She taught me sports, she's always there; she makes sure my cupboard isn't bare. My mother is beyond compare."

I love you, Mom!