Dear Mom

26 October 2012

I am sooo thankful for the privilege of growing up in the household I did.  Thank you Dad and Mom for raising us in a loving, supportive, Catholic home.  Thank you for telling us that you would ALWAYS love us, no matter what.  Dad, you kept a light-hearted, playful spirit ever-present.  You would tell us girls we were beautiful, you treated us like princesses, and would shower us with “big bear hugs.”  You helped me keep a level head (or were a level head when I lacked one), and typically would provide a voice of reason during the “storms” throughout my life.  You have helped me keep an open mind (or at least realized I should have been more open-minded when I wasn’t).  You taught us how to dance – those times when you would crank up Vanilla Ice or MC Hammer and we would just dance around the house like crazy!  I love the times we would spend Friday night on the couch with the whole family, watching rented movies and eating pizza and ice cream – the perfect thing for the end of a long, always-active week.  Thank you for teaching us the difference between right and wrong, and how we should treat other people.  While no family is ever perfect, I am proud and feel truly blessed to be able to call mine “mine!” 

Thank you for being so supportive of my dream to come to Africa and for understanding what a hard decision it was to discern whether or not to come.  You have lovingly supported me my whole life, and continue to do so.  From the bottom of my heart, thank you.  With that being said, I would like to dedicate the remainder of this post to my Mom. 

Dear Mom,

Thank you for being so wonderful…not only for everything you have sacrificed for me or all the things you have done for me…but for just being who you are!  I love you so much, and since being in Africa, there are a lot of things I realized you taught me (that have really come in handy)…for which I am so thankful.  I love you sooo much and wanted to take this opportunity to say “Thank you!”

Thank you for teaching me:
1) How to brush my teeth with a water bottle
2) How to wash my underwear in the sink
3) How to check the tent for mosquitoes before bed (I check my room each night)
4) How to dress injuries properly
5) That it’s okay if someone else wants to take care of things every once in awhile
6) To be genuinely open to doing God’s will – to say “YES”
7) That I should strive to always be growing in my faith
8) About love
9) “Chubby”
10)  How to do the “Elvis lip” (9&10-I have been showing to my 'jutanee’ girls, and they just laugh really hard-aaaahahaha!-good thing some things are apparently funny anywhere in the world, no matter what language you speak)
11)  That a lot of medical issues will go away on their own – just keep an eye on it
12)  To be nice to other people
13)  That during an allergic reaction, so long as your breathing is not impeded, you’re probably still okay (don’t need to seek medical assistance)
14)  To lay on my left side when I have trapped gas
15)  How to care for children
16)  How to teach children
17)  About ENDOW (Educating on the Nature and Dignity of Women) and encouraging me to attend a study group.  Our study of Redemptoris Mater really opened big doors for my relationship with Our Blessed Mother Mary.  Now, as a SLM, I am entrusted to her care and am growing in relationship with her, which only leads me ever closer to Christ.
18)  How to French braid hair
19)  How to “write like a teacher” (using correct hand-writing, with crisp edges)
20)  How to wash my hair upside-down (I feel like it gets cleaner that way - especially here, after the kids touch all over it)
21)  How to be inventive, using all different materials in creative ways
22)  How to fix just about anything and use creativity for problem solving
23)  To be aware of how many other people are eating dinner when serving myself food
24)  To be frugal and responsible with money
25)  To laugh REALLY hard!

Additionally, thank you for:
26)  Making Erin and I take self-defense classes at the beginning of college (not like I was opposed to the idea, but probably not something I would have done just on my own)
27)  Encouraging me to go on the trip to Europe
28)  Staying up nearly all night with me to go to Walmart and pack on the eve of my departure for this whole trip
29)  Inspiring my devotion to and love of Adoration – this truly has changed my life (as Father Ken promised it would)
30)  Always loving me, no matter what

Thank you!
Lots of love,
Jenna