I feel like if I even try to say something "short and sweet" its going to end up being boring and impersonal. I feel like if I expound, I won't be able to stop.
But, Mom, I.LOVE.YOU.
I probably do not tell you enough. I know I don't thank you enough. I am sure I will never understand how much you have given of yourself to raise your crazy kids. But, oh, God does and, man, when He gets to reward you in Heaven I will be the loudest, clappiest, most excited person there!
You are truly a woman to be honored! I see so much of your mom in you. The way you love to laugh. That is something I cherish. When I think of Grandma, I think of her laughing - mostly with you and your sisters - and I love that as you have gotten older and grown in maturity, you have continued to laugh. At the same time, I love how you are so sensitive to God. I love how you take His word seriously and how you really, really want to do the right thing! You so inspire me!
I remember one time when I was in middle-school, and we were driving home from Old Navy. It was kind of rainy, then all of a sudden the weather changed into that weird, eery sunny yet dark post-rain weather. The clouds were big and golden, the sky was denim blue and there were beams of sunlight everywhere.
I remember you just gasped and put your hand on your heart and said "OOooh, Kristen. Oh! Look at that! Can you believe that someday that sky is going to open like a scroll and Jesus will come down! Oh, Kristen! Look at that!" You just gazed at the sky, breathless.
And I definitely remember feeling very stupid, because it did not seem all that impressive to me. I saw honking cars, highway signs, cloudy wetness and I probably felt fat. But I also remember thinking "I wish I was like that. I wish I saw the sky I thought 'Someday that will open up to the doorway of Heaven."
I feel like that is consistently how you live, and I cannot thank you enough, Mom.
Thank you for going to lunch and movies with me yesterday! I had so much fun :) :) :)