MOM

Reasons I love my mom, in pictures:

Deborah Elaine Smith is classic:
She's always there for the important occasions:

My mom is an exemplary wife. She adores my father, and in return he treats her like a queen. They have a marriage relationship worth emulating. I used to pretend to be grossed out when I saw them kissing and winking at each other... or when I came across cards written to each other with ambiguous inside jokes... but now I realize it gave me a sense of security and continuity. I want to be the kind of wife my mom is.

She takes me out drinking at Rancho Chico ;)
She makes every Christmas amazing! This lady puts Santa to SHAME! My one regret is that, before I agreed to marry Brian, I didn't stipulate my proposal acceptance with an agreement to spend every Christmas in Spokane.

Mom withstood a snow storm, a Costa Rican stomach bug, a sleeping pill, and 3 nights in different Motel 6's to be there in time to drive me to the hospital at 2am for Brianna's arrival.(Brianna's obviously having a gassy moment. And mom just keeps smiling all pretty!):

She followed me while I ran around and around and around for years.

She shhhhhed and swaddled my baby to contentment before I pulled all my hair out.

The most important day of my life is a happy memory because mom took care of all the details.
Brianna's Nonny is adventurous!

And cute:

Not just cute - HOT! Seriously, I have one hot mama. I can't count the number of times I've seen the shocked jaw-dropped face of someone who learns she's had 8 babies. This women exercises, eats healthy, and looks at least ten years younger than she is.
And - obviously - she's into the tropical happiness. We're on the same wavelength. I don't think she would have moved with me to college if I had chosen a different BYU.

My mom is observant. She notices things. Like dirty garbage cans. Who in the world notices someone's messy garbage can?! Or tacky flower pots in someone's front yard for a decade.... And on long car trips, she counts the cows. Here she is, observing birds. Yep, my mom doesn't miss a thing.


Mom supports her children in their efforts to make good choices. Here we are at my sister's non-denominational church. It was a choice in the right direction at the time. And she was there, singing hallelujah along with the rest of us sinners.

Nonny holds dance parties with her grandchildren in the loft of their country mansion.

She'll swim through shark infested waters... or at least brave the cold weather she disdains... to make great sledding memories:

She went down the slide with Dad and I at the Rec Center in Vernal. I'm there everyday, and I have yet to see anyone her age do that. Mom rocks.
She's a kitchen goddess. I'm not even remotely exaggerating. She puts amazing dishes on the table, and leaves cupboard contents alphabetized.

Sadly, she was too overwhelmed by my Vernal kitchen to attempt an overhaul. But last year in Provo I came home post-cesarean hospitalization to a kitchen I hardly recognized, except that it resembled hers (which was featured in the Spokane-Coeur d'Alene Living magazine)

She's an educational Nonny. She teaches her grandchildren numbers, songs, letters, colors.... and even magical finger-zapping powers, as she's doing here with Brianna. Notice the pizza in the background - yeah, homemade.
Always Super-Nonny, here she is doing puppet shows for Brianna and her second cousin:

I could go on, but I shall cease now, for fear my blog shall get too silly and reek like seriouslysoblessed

So what did I gift this preeminent mother on her day?
A one-year subscription to Consumer Report Health magazine! If you know her, you know that's something she'll totally dig. I hope, anyway. The first issue should've already arrived - I ordered it like two weeks ago. And I sent her a cute card from Kodak.com, which also arrived...in SPOKANE, where she is NOT this weekend... I didn't realize they'd be in Phoenix at Brian's MBA graduation hangin with Obama. Anyways, so I feel pretty lame that my meager offerings won't grace her presence on the actual day of maternal celebration.

Hopefully this tribute-post helps make up for that.

I LOVE YOU MOM!