All About Janice :)

Hi everyone,
Happy Mother's Day!  I know a lot of amazing mothers among my group of friends and family.  I hope you are all having a blessed day!  I wanted to take a minute and tell you all a little about what makes my mom, Ms. Janice Marlene, special among the rest. :)

That's Janice there second from the left.

I think that in many ways, the relationship my mother and I share is both the easiest and the hardest of all of our relationships.  That's probably true for most mothers and daughters :)  But over my 31 years I have never lost sight of how blessed I am to have Janice as my mom.

First off, she's gorgeous to the core!  Have you ever met one of those women who knows how to set a holiday dinner table just right?  Or can turn a bouquet of grocery store flowers into a stunning display?  Do you know one of those women who not only knows how to sew her own curtains - she knows how to sew them with style?

That's my mom.  From an early age she impressed upon me a love for being feminine.  I remember watching her do her make up as a little girl and marveling at how her already lovely features came to life.  When my dad first saw my mom he says he thought he had seen a Playboy model come to life...and mind you when they met she was wearing a fast food uniform!  Now THAT'S a woman who knows how to exude femininity.

Mom and dad at 19

I love that about Janice.  It is a rare thing to see a real woman in all her glory...and I get to call one of those women my mother.

Another thing I love about my mom is her appreciation for tradition and family.  Every holiday in my memory has been a special event because my mother is the kind of woman who finds pleasure in making a special meal, breaking out our great grandmother's china, and encouraging others to enjoy the company of family.  Not every family has a person in their group who keeps the past alive.  My mother is that person in our "group."  I really appreciate that about her and I hope to carry that on.

Some could say that mom is the one type A in our family of type B's...that probably frustrates her but I love that about her.  She provides the much needed structure that keeps our family moving forward.  Without it, we'd all be eating ice cream for every meal and watching too much TV :)  That's not to say she doesn't let her hair down on occasion!  She loves to laugh and enjoys bringing an energetic flair to even the most mundane tasks.  She once dressed up and performed as Dolly Parton for a church retreat!  Sounds like a church retreat for the record books to me :)  She's brave, funny, and she pulls off even the silliest task (Dolly impersonations for example) with artfulness and flair.  I love that side of my mom.

Mom observing as my sister and I invent "Beach Ballet"

My mother enjoys carrying on traditions and interests that her  mother (my Mamaw) held dear.  For example, mom and I sewed two baby blankets last year together.  Mamaw had been a fantastic sewer and many of our most special family heirlooms are pieces of her work.

I was amazed that my mom could create something so meaningful and beautiful - like a baby blanket - with such knowledgeable ease!  It's like she possesses some magic ability to make things special.

Mamaw Wilson

Last Easter I witnessed mom's passion for sharing traditions as we baked Mamaw's "Penny's Bunny Cake" with my cousin and her daughters.  There is so much to gain in taking time to appreciate the past.  I love that my mother "gets" that.

Mom wearing an old family apron to bake "Penny's Bunny Cake"

Finally, I love my mother's strong soul.  Mom and I have had our share of ups and downs.  It's interesting to me how similar and how different we are at the same time.  But I feel that despite our differences (and similarities) we are both brazenly committed to loving each other.  I know I can count on her for sound advice or if I simply need someone to be on my side.  I appreciate that about her.  As I grow older I am trying in my own way to offer her advice and show her I am on her side.

We aren't always perfect...but we try.

My mother is the kind of person who takes a sick person soup for dinner.  She's the kind of woman who will sneak into your apartment after you leave for work and spend 8 hrs cleaning it top to bottom.  She's the kind of person who loves her friends by leading them in bible studies so she can show that she doesn't just care about their physical needs - she cares about their hearts and souls.  That is a real friend.  That is an example she set for me that I am trying to live out in my own life.

Relationships between mothers and daughters are complex at best, and ours has been no exception.  Yeah, we fight and disagree.  But I have come to realize as an adult that the fierce approach we both take on certain occasions comes from a fiery love that is very much alive and eager to administer care, to protect, to support. On today, and on everyday, I just hope mom knows how proud I am to call her my own.

Mom and me.