Our Mimi

Our Mimi may not be the original but she is ours. Our kids call my Mom Mimi, named after her Mom, my Mimi.:) Kind of the same as Grandma -- you get it, right?

Anyway, today is her birthday --all hers! Well, she does share it with her nephew Gabe Gilleland, but other than that -- it's hers.
I love my Mom very much for very many reasons. Probably the highest on my list is that my Mom is my friend. She has never treated me as if I'm less than her because I'm younger than her. Even when I was a child she was always helping me to become ME. To be independent and to learn things on my own. She has never tried to teach by preaching to me. She has taught in many other, more effective, ways. I always, always know my Mom loves me, no matter what. She has always valued my opinion, even when it was a dumb 16 year old opinion. My Mom has always been my biggest fan. When I need to feel like a comedian I call my Mom. She'll laugh at any joke. She always tells me "Megan, sometimes I just have to laugh, the only other option is to cry" I say laugh all you want Mom. It's healthy and will keep you young. She is also an honest woman, painfully honest.:) So for all of you who think I'm too honest, you can thank my Mom. I, for one, think it's a great quality. I know where I stand with my Mom. I love that about her. My Mom was raised in a small town in Arizona. Camp Verde only had handful of people in it when she was growing up. I'm not sure of the population but I do know that her graduating class had about 25 kids in it. We're talking small. Anyway, she has some fun stories to tell of growing up in the desert along with some skin cancer that's been removed. YIKES!

She was raised with different values than I was. She decided to join the LDS church when she was about 20. I count my blessings everyday that my Mom was a strong enough woman to be baptized, stay strong in the gospel and raise me to follow Christ.
None of us are perfect, or even near it sometimes, but I am so thankful that my Mom is who she is. She has taught me right from wrong. She has taught me how to love others no matter what they do -- to others or to me -- and no matter how different they are from me. She has taught me how to forgive. Most importantly she has taught me how to have courage and do what is right no matter what the consequence is.
I love you MOM! Hope you had a great, great day!!

You deserve it!!!