Mother's day...so I get to brag about my mom!!

My mom is all sorts of wonderful...  To me she truly paints a picture of what it looks like to be the hands and feet of Christ. Here a just a few things I love about her:

• My mom is a teacher...over the years she has helped improve reading skills of hundreds (maybe even thousands) of young students, she also teaches teachers how to teach, and she is SO, SO good at it!! But the cool thing about my mom is that she doesn't limit her profession to 40 paid hours a week...she uses her knowledge to reach much further. On the side, she helps children of friends and family catch up or polish on their reading skills. She also invests her time in one of her ESL (English as a second language) students by loving on her outside of school, doing activities with her and really broadening her world-view. I know she is changing this little girl's life because of the huge smile this child gets when she is with my mom. It gives me the shivers...because it is SUCH a God thing!

• My mom is a missionary...this summer, my mom and some other professional literacy teachers will be traveling to the country we love....JAMAICA!! She will be partnering with a local school to help educated the local teachers on ways they can improve literacy amongst their students. The school is so excited to have her and have even invited the the education "big-wigs" of Jamaica (the ministry of education) to the seminars. I love my mom's vision for this trip as she hopes this is a start of a long-term partnership with the local schools. She is also raising money to purchase appropriate books for the students. My mom has always had a huge heart for missions. She has always made it possible for her kids to participate in missions and now she is starting a mission that I no doubt will improve education in the whole country of Jamaica!! 

• My mom is a mother...not only did my mom successfully give birth to two children but she also adopted two. She had a vision for a family that was a little different than the typical family of four that we started out as....and because of her faith she formed the BEST family of 6!! My mom has a huge heart for adoption. And I know exactly why, because through the adoption of my brother and sister I have seen God work so, so clearly... I wish I could write ALL about all the amazing "God moments" we have experienced through adoption...but that would be very long.. But mom, I want you to know that adopting my brother and sister not only changed their lives for the better, but it changed mine too! I am so, so thankful for the family that God put together and the family that you had the faith to envision!

So these are just a few things that make me raise my eyebrows and say, wow...what an awesome woman of God! She has SO, SO much love in her heart. It is rare to find a woman who finds the time to maintain a great career, be an awesome mom, AND is able to do so many cool things on top of it!! My mom is also very humble and might be kind of embarrassed that I am bragging about her. But how refreshing is it, to hear about a person who is constantly stepping out in faith to go above and beyond what the world expects of us do what God calls us to do!

Mom- I want YOU to know, that as a professional, missionary, wife, and someday mother I hope that I can take on each of those roles as gracefully and beautifully as you do. You really are my role model and the spitting image of Christ. God has and is continuing to impact many lives through you and do many great things. I know God is good to his children, but sometimes I don't know why I got so very lucky to have you has my mom. Love you, a bushel and a peck...!