Her children will rise up and call her BLESSED

My mom was awesome. Not everyone who knew her had the privilege of really knowing her ... I am her only daughter, and even I didn't get to know her as much as I would have liked. But, what I did know of her was amazing ... she was a very private person, unassuming, and humble. She was an incredibly talented and well-respected interior designer, artist, and quilter, but she would be the first to down-play her talents in favor of others. She managed to keep herself out of the spotlight most days, preferring to work quietly and tirelessly behind the scenes in support of the people she loved and the things she felt were worth fighting for. She was a loving and devoted wife to my dad and played a huge part in the success that he has enjoyed in his own career. She owned a successful interior design business and worked countless hours a week, but had a delicious home-cooked dinner on the table every night and insisted that we guard our family dinners as sacred. She was funny and shy and incredibly intelligent. She was gracious beyond words. And she had exquisite taste in everything from food to music to fashion and art. She was genuinely kind to everyone she met. She was not only a mother to me, but also a friend and confidante, an encouragement and inspiration, and an example of walking through extreme trials and uncertainty with grace and unblinking trust in God. She left an indelible mark on my heart and my life, and I miss her dearly.

Yesterday, as I was remembering her on the fifth (!) anniversary of the day she died, it occurred to me that she was truly a Proverbs 31 woman. Praise God for such an example.

(This is my favorite picture of me and my mom from when I was little ... gotta love it.)