A Mothers Love

I have been reading this book from the library lately, which has caused me to think about the traditions that I want to bring into my family life someday.
This book has caused me to think about all the wonderful things that my mom has done for me and my family over the course of our lives, and makes me grateful for the way that she made every day more special with the little things she did for us. So I just wanted to share a few of them here with you...

- When my sister and I first got our periods, my mom allowed us to take the day off of school, took us out for a celebratory meal and bought us a new outfit to celebrate our change into adulthood. What a special way to come into our bodies, as it can be such an awkward stage of life. She was also always there (and still does this) for us with any questions that we ever have about our bodies (its awesome having a retired nurse as a mom).

- Every year when we were teenagers, my mom started a tradition where my mom would at the beginning and end of summer vacation, no matter where we were, we would go and have a meal together and then walk to a local body of water. There we would collect three stones and at the starting of the summer we would make three goals for the summer ahead, and throw our stones in the water. Then likewise at the end of the summer we would say our three favorite parts of the summer, sharing them out loud with each other. It was a great way of connecting with my family and learning to make good goals, which is something do a lot of in my life now.

-Every Christmas eve we would go to midnight mass together, which is one of my favorite parts of the holiday season, and then every Christmas morning, we would wake up to the same album - Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" (which I have now bought on vinyl for my new player) - and open our presents. We always get a new pair of homemade PJ's for Christmas to open on Christmas eve,  which used to be new pajama pants but now my mom has moved onto a new fad of making us long flannel pj's. Nate has adorably nicknamed my flannels, my "Easter egg", my "Christmas bauble", and my "spring onion" due to their colour combinations. She has sparked my interest in sewing from a young age and now knitting, which is a large part of my life, and I am so grateful to have such a talented mother.

-Even into high school, mom would put little love notes into our paper bag lunches which was always a nice little surprise during our long days at school. And on one long camping trip in particular, I was worried about going, and missing home, so my mom took a little necklace that I had with a knitted pouch on it, and stuffed it full of notes for me to open every time I got home sick. It was something I will never forget and I am glad that I still have, with all the notes still in it :)

-She has always been a big part of my life from being my tawny owl in brownies, to taking us annoying spice girls camping, she has always been there for me, and still does so everyday of my life. Poor mom has to deal with the me still calling her almost every day with life questions, and suggestions.

 Thank you mom for being so inspiring, and generous, I hope to be able to be half the mom that you have been for me and Jess.
    Love Britt xoxoxo etc...