September 5, 2017 at 3:32 p.m.
I love you, Mom
On top of the daily farm chores and the responsibilities of raising three kids, she was a "room mom" at school, sang at church and acted as a Eucharistic minister, taught and organized the faith formation education program for our parish, lead our 4-H club as the adult key leader, coached the 4-H dairy judging team in Olmsted County, organized the Adventures in Dairyland program, taught students through the Ag in the Classroom program and acted as a board member for the Olmsted County American Dairy Association. She was also willing to open our farm to any groups and visitors for a tour.
She continues in a few of these roles today along with adding a few, such as being a member of an investment club, a dairy women's group called Dairy Divas and the planning committee for the AgStar Miracle of Birth Center.
My mom has been someone I've looked up to from a young age. In first grade I even copied her hairstyle because I wanted to be like her. But it wasn't only her hairstyle she passed onto me, she taught me many qualities to be a genuine person.
Care for others. Putting herself first isn't usually a thought for my mom. She's always caring about the well being of others. I've seen it first-hand as she raised Kelly, Andrew and me. Our activities and best interests always came first. I've also witnessed my mom helping people out in time of need, whether just to be there for a friend to talk or making food for the family who lost a loved one. Caring for others is an every day occurrence in my mom's life.
Work hard. Living on a farm, it's hard not to learn this quality. When I was young, I was like her shadow as she went about her daily farm chores. I loved to give the calves in each dome a handful of starter after she had given them milk. Even with a young child to watch out for while on the farm, she always got all her work done.
Be honest and faithful. My parents have been married 31 years, partly because of these two qualities. But it is also because they include God in their lives. My mom pours her heart into her church community and talks to me about how powerful prayer can be in life.
Make things fun and don't take things too seriously. My mom can make even little tasks seem like a good time. She's always smiling, laughing and cracking a joke every once in awhile. Even as she cleans the house, washes the dishes or is feeding the calves, I often hear her humming or singing to herself with a smile on her face. And even if things don't turn out exactly as planned, I can always hear my mom saying her famous line, "Whatever happens, happens."
Make good food. Often times when my siblings and I would get home from school, there would be chocolate chip cookies, rice crispy bars or brownies waiting for us. And each year, her ability to whip up half of the Thanksgiving meal leaves me in awe. I know this will be a quality that will take me awhile to master.
Be able to look put-together in 15 minutes. This included a shower and make up. Sunday mornings always tested this skill and she masters it every time. Sometimes it's a must to fly by the seat of her pants
Put your whole heart into everything you do. Passion doesn't even begin to describe my mom. I think she goes beyond the definition of that word. It doesn't matter if she is working on the farm or acting as a part in one of her many other activities, she always put her heart into it. And she stands up for what she believes in.
From watching her over the years, I've realized what a strong person she is. To this day, both she and my dad make all their activities and daily routine look effortless. But now that I'm older, I've realized how much work it takes to do all they do. These qualities my mom has taught me to help lead the life she does. Although sometimes it's still baffling to me how she does it all. I sometimes seriously question whether she has magical powers.
Our relationship has developed into more than mother-daughter. I now consider my mom to be one of my best friends. And I'm proud to say she's my mom. In my family, we jokingly say, "You should be very afraid," meaning daughters have a good chance of growing up to be like their mothers. If that's the case, I'm not afraid at all. She has set a good example of how to live a good life and be a good person. I love you, Mom! Happy Mother's Day to you and all the other farm moms!
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