I am my mother's daughter without a doubt.  From as far back as I can remember people have constantly commented on how much we look alike.  Sometimes I see my mom when I look in the mirror, and often I ask myself how she would handle certain circumstances I encounter.  She is a large part of my moral compass.

I am a mirror image of my mom in many ways:

her Cherokee dark brown eyes and dark hair (at least when I'm natural!)

her strong work ethic (although I worry that she doesn't know how to say no)

her love for school, especially writing, spelling, grammar, etc.  (She even took my Spanish class once!)

her love for organization:  we are both avid calendar and budget keepers, and we keep records of everything!

her inner strength:  it takes a lot to get us down!

She showed me by example throughout my childhood the value of serving others and the value of every single child, no matter what his/her circumstances.  For many years of my childhood she was our church's Vacation Bible School director, a position she was so passionate about that it consumed 6 months of each year.  My sister and I would often accompany her as she visited the home of every unchurched child she could find.  Then she would arrange for all of them to be picked up and brought to Bible School.  This was a mission to her, one I'm sure had its roots in her own difficult childhood.  She loved every child.  She currently sponsors a child from Honduras, whose letters I get to translate from Spanish! 

My mom thrives on serving.  She cooks meals for disabled and elderly neighbors.  She spends many hours a week caring for her siblings and her grandchildren.  She teaches Sunday School and sings in the choir.  She is currently the director of the women's mission organization of her church and the president of the local Gideon's auxiliary.

She enjoys the grandchildren, reading at the beach, going out for Japanese food, and walking with my dad.  Perhaps you can meet him for Father's Day!

A few photos:

 
1955:  At age 14, seated in front of her parents and a special teacher, my mom was headed to Washington DC for the National Spelling Bee.  With her coaching, my sister and I both later spelled our way into the Winston-Salem bee that feeds into the Nationals, but neither of us made it to DC.

 
1955: My mom (third from left in back) with her mom and 5 of her 8 siblings

 
1962: Little me with my dad and mom (I didn't look much like her then!)

 
About 1988: mom, dad, me, brother-in-law, sister

 
about 2000:  after she changed her name to "Nana"

2002:  mom and dad


Love you, mom!!  You're the best!