"wouldn't mama be proud"

i had an interesting discussion today.
driving along the interstate is the best time to play the question game. its random, it passes the time, and lets face it. its fun. ish. so today my aunt and i were driving from a far-away city and we got to talking. she said "use one word to describe your mom".

one word. i chose "involved"...

and it got me thinking.

my mom is seriously the most influential person in my life. i love my parents, and my dad is my favorite person on the planet. no lie. but it seems like my mom has been around in my life a lot. she quit her job before i went into kindergarten and literally spent every waking moment with me.

road trips to tennessee, spending a week at camp, days by the pool, writing in journals, teaching us how to be better people. my mom was the best at all of that.

we laughed. we cried. we walked around the block on hot summer nights with freeze-pops and we would talk about anything. we watched movies, top model marathons, and hgtv for hours on end. she loves my friends (i think...if she doesn't, she does a good job hiding it!) and my friends love her. the girls that i've been friends with my entire life have grown up with my mom as well - teaching them things that their moms couldn't.

i didn't think it would be hard to leave my family. yes, i would miss them, but they're my family. its not like they can just get another daughter. i was more worried about my friends moving on and meeting new people...not so much missing my nagging, meddlesome parents.

but i do.

hearing about my cousin and my aunt going shopping for dorm stuff together, or listening to stories of my friends and their moms (even the bad ones) makes me miss my mom even more. she's a phone call away, but that's not as convienent as 4 steps away.

all of this doesn't mean that i love my mom more than my dad. or brother. there have just been more instances where i want to tell my mom random things that only she would get. i miss my dad more than i can even describe. and my brother is my best friend. but its those little things like talking to my mom after my first day at work that just isnt the same on the phone. i miss her. and everyone. but they'll always be in my life, and for that, i am so thankful.

[lift up your heart]
i love you mom!!