How do you thank someone who has taken you from crayons to perfume..Part 2 of 6

To my mom

I wish I had the words to convey my feelings of gratitude to you for being my mother.

 God could not have chosen anyone better.

There are so many things I have never said thank you for.

I want to say: thanks for giving up your pride at times to take care of us.

Thanks for paying off my tuition so that I could go back to school.

 Thanks for that St. Patricks day package you sent me.

 Thanks for doing the 12 days of Christmas with Pat Pifer with me.

 Thanks for all the times you helped me lift, turn, or pick someone up off the floor.

Thanks for dressing me up for kindergarten.

 Thanks for buying me a cabbage patch kid.

Thanks for not freaking out when I crashed you and Dad's only car.

 Thanks for bringing us to clean model homes, clean carpets, and deliver papers.

 Those are some of the fondest memories I have of my childhood.

Thanks for teaching me how to work.

 Thanks for teaching me to count only on myself.

 Thanks for teaching me to love Elvis and Cher.

Thanks for all the homemade dresses.

Thanks for trying so hard to have nice stuff for us.

Thanks for coming to see me in Romeo and Juliet.

 Thanks for giving my nieces and nephews the grandmom that we never had.

Thanks for surprising me on my 30th birthday.

I know there are a million things that you did for me that I don't even know about.

Sleepless nights, trips to the ER, stuff you went without to give me the things I needed and wanted.

No matter what, no matter the issues that we don't see eye to eye on, or whatever our family history, to me- you are an angel.

When I think of my childhood, I think of you.

The "I can't = I won't" poster, the long days of perms, the cookie baking, exercising to Jane Fonda, staying up late to watch Miss America, you and Dad scaring us, closing up Pizza Hut and then eating late at Perkins.

You destroying the bathroom, looking for somewhere to live in Wildwood, taking a taxi to my choir concert, pushing me up the hill in Rexburg in my wheelchair.

I could go on forever.

Thanks, Mom.

Lori Ann