'Moms' that have influenced me...

The ladies over at 5 Minutes for Mom are throwing an awesome Mother's Day giveaway! After reading about it, I decided to take the time to find a photo and submit if for the contest. The photo I chose to submit is pictured above, yet all the photos display what I think motherhood is all about!

Luckily, before I became a mother myself, I was fortunate enough to have wonderful women in my life that portray(ed) the greatest mothering qualities. I am going to spend some time on this post and write about these great women and their extraordinary influence! This will probably be my longest blog post EVER just because I have so many great things to say.

My own mother; the most selfless person I have ever known. This woman will literally bend over backwards for her children, grandchildren, and any other person for that matter. Yet, she stands her ground in the discipline and life lesson chapters of mothering. Looking back on all of the rules that I thought were too strict or silly, I now completely understand! She is big on traditions and they have come to mean so much to our entire family. So many of my wonderful childhood memories revolve around traditions that my mom worked so very hard to maintain. A mother myself, I constantly look to her for advice and compassion. She is my best friend...a person that I can always depend on...no matter what! She is a mother of 3, grandmother of 4.

My grandma Fran;Full of life and full of spunk. This woman was hilarious! She always made life fun. She told it like it was and because of that...I learned many lessons! She was a mother of 3, grandmother of 8.

My older sister Lori; When I gave birth to LJ and LK my older sister had already been a mother for 7 years. I learned alot from her and also by helping out w/my nephews. I love the fact that she can just have fun w/her kids and let go of worries that sometimes hold moms back. She is a compassionate and fun mother of 2 wild and crazy boys that absolutely adore her!!

My sister-in-law Kristi; She does more in one hour than I can get done in a week!! She has exposed her children to so many great things in the world. She is so kindhearted and giving. We are constantly getting care packages in the mail. The generosity is amazing. She is an excellent communicator and really talks things through w/her children. She is a mom of two adorable and silly little girls, plus one baby boy!

My late mother-in-law Paula; One of the greatest women I have ever known. Every day I get a broken heart knowing that my children will never meet her. Like my own mother, she was extremely selfless and giving of herself. She was also one of the greatest cooks and housekeepers ever! She lost the battle w/ Pancreatic Cancer 3 years ago in June. We miss and love you Grammy. She is a mom of two, grandma of 5.

Many other great women are in my life that are wonderful mothers and I wish I could find the words and the time to spotlight you all. Thanks to all of the great moms' that I know and thank you for your influence!