May is already here and Mother's Day has got me thinking about that lady who birthed me 23 years ago. She is one awesome woman. I know a side of my mother that not many get to see. People who do not know her well get to see her floopy side (floopy? I don't know...) They describe her as many things, most of all free-spirited. Though she is quite the free spirit, I want you to know how far off this version of her is.
The mom that I get to see is
amazing. She is so smart, talented and loving, and see's the best in people. She is so forgiving of anyone who has ever wronged her. The woman cannot hold a grudge. She has always taken such good care of me and has always been there for me. She has taught me to be (or at least tried her best to get me to be) strong, self sufficient, open minded, to not see fault in others, and to be myself and express myself the way I need to, among so much more.
She is a brave warrior woman. There was never a creepy critter too big to vacuum up or catch with a tissue. She always showed me bugs and lizards and snakes in our yard when I was growing up. We would search for "night crawlers" with our flashlights. One night when I was very young, she even woke me up to show me a newt she found. She is never grossed out by anything I tell her, she doesn't shy away from scary unknown kitchen mold species like I would, she just cleans it up without hesitating.
She has passed on her love of art to me. Her father was a painter and now she is the most amazing artist. Her house and her loved ones houses are filled with her beautiful paintings and drawings.
She loves to sing and is an gifted decorator and gardener. She never stops moving, she is constantly finding things that need to be done. She never stops working, and she never stops enjoying life. She is always trying to better herself. She has taught me to love every animal on this earth. She loves her horses like they were her own children. She has a hard time saying no whenever we go to the animal shelter. She was always willing to let me take care of various pets. Throughout my childhood we had a turtle, a bunny, parakeets, a snake, frogs, so many cats, and a lot of beta fish. She is an adventurer. Many afternoons were spent hiking in the mountains with her in the summer, and sleigh riding in the mountains in the winter. Many evenings were spent riding in my seat on the back of her bike. She showed me the beautiful world that God has given us.
She has done so much with her life as well. Along with being a great mother and being married to Brett Garn, in her life she has been a secretary, a lumberjack, a semi truck driver, a tupperware factory worker, a cleaning lady, flown planes, traveled the world, been a catalog model, a loving caregiver to lots of old people, and so much more I can't think of right now, all while looking fab, I might add.
I'm sorry for rambling but I am filled with so much gratitude for this lady. I am blessed to have her. She is awesome. She gave me THE BEST childhood ever and is now my bff. I love her! When I am a mother someday, I hope I can be the brave mama bear to my kids that she is to me.
Here she is striking a fierce pose in October 2010.
My mom and HER mom (moms!) about 1989-ish.
