"Hey girl!"

- awesome older-ish lady who talks to me and give me cleaning tips. It's funny because I wouldn't have expected a "Hey girl!" out of her

"You weren't even here long enough to meet my family!"

- How cool is it when customers want you to meet their families?? Haha

"I'm sad to lose you, I hate to see you go. But you're going to something better, and that's what makes the pain bearable."

- Could you ask for a better send off from your boss??

Honestly, I never thought I could be so blessed by a fast food job. I guess it shows you never know what will come of things, and that it pays to trust God And if ever you're in the Sachse/Garland area and need a job, go check out the Whataburger off 78

For my birthday (back in November) I really, really wanted Mean Girls, and Dave told me he'd get it for me. We found (for the same price) a sort of girl trilogy made up of Mean Girls, She's the Man, and Clueless. I love Mean Girls, I saw She's the Man with Christina and really liked it (watched it since getting it and liked it even more ) and I figured "Well, I'll probably watch Clueless sometime when I'm bored..." I wasn't feeling well yesterday, and I ended up staying home from work. I suddenly remembered Clueless, and decided to watch it. It took me about 20 minutes before I realized it was Emma! (The novel by Jane Austin.) I was pleasantly surprised at how closely the movie followed the book, in plot and in the "moral" of the story, without seeming contrived. I really enjoyed it, and I'm glad I have it Though I'm kind of sad I missed out on that whole "as if" thing. Ummmmmm, no not really.

Anyway, work out time for now. Perhaps more later.

The other day, as I was washing dishes or folding clothes or some such thing, I looked down and realized I have my mother's hands. Then I smiled as I started thinking of all the wonderful things my mother's hands have done.

My mother is one of the most nurturing people I know. She thinks she isn't, but maybe that's part of what makes her good at it. By nurturing, I don't mean the kind of mom who hovers around her children doing everything for them, cooing at them every step of the way. My mom sees the best in people, and willsubtly nudge them in that direction. She has never told me what to do with my life, but she listens as I talk about ideas I have. She's always encouraging, and always believes in us one hundred percent. No matter what is going on in our lives, she always lets us know how proud she is of us. This goes for me and my siblings, as well as the two men who have joined our family by marriage. She doesn't discriminate - sheconsiders Dave and Paul her sons now.

That's another thing I love about my mother - she thinks as highly of Dave as I do. I know that when I'm frustrated I can call my mom, she'll let me vent, and then she'll gently help me see Dave's side of things. It means so much to me that I know she'll never, ever put him down. I'm so blessed to have parents who love and accept my husband as their own.

It's not just our lives that my mother has made a difference in. She was a teacher for a few years, before her family came along. Though I wasn't there, I know she made a difference in those lives. I know this because I saw how she taught classes at ourhomeschool co-ops. She's not the kind who tolerates disrespect or cutting up. This is not to say she's not fun - her class on radio drama was a blast. She believes in structure and order, which is something children need and respond to. She has "the look," and we've seen it quell a vampire in one look. (You may think I'm making that up, but I'm not.) She was strict with kids sometimes, but instead of driving them away, it seemed to draw them to her. It's because they knew she was doing it because she genuinely cared about them - she wanted them to become the best they could. My mother always had a soft spot for the "troublemakers." It made her so upset to hear other moms sayingderogatory things about them. She always saw deeper, into the heart of kids. And she's been right about them.

Now that we've all grown and are either in college, or past it, she's still doing things to improve children's education. She, along with several other homeschooling moms, run aHomeschool Round-Up every summer. They organize booths, speakers, book tables, even meals. It's a place for families to come get information and encouragement. Every summer my mother pushes herself toexhaustion to make this happen. She has always gotten joy out of helping others, and I'm proud to have inherited her hands. I hope I can use them in such wonderful ways as she has.

But I haven't been blessed with just one amazing mother. Dave's mother has been more than I ever thought possible in a mother-in-law. I wasimmediately welcomed into the Blaser family. Instead of questioning me to see if I was good enough for her son, or making small talk out of obligation, Chris talked with me out of an genuine desire get to know me.

Chris is fun. She's just a fun person to be around. She's always laughing. She's always ready to jump in the car and go somewhere. But we also have fun staying in and making fun of dumbtv shows. She's my favorite person to go shopping with (well, tied with Annie ) She gets me to try on things I'd never think to try myself, but at the same time she never judges me for my taste - even when it's different from hers.

Fun is far from the only word to describe Chris. She's a fiercely loyal friend, and she feels deeply what her friends feel. If someone she cares about is hurting, she's right there hurting with them, and she'll do whatever she can to make things better.

She, too, has a desire to help people. I don't think you could be as great a nurse as she is (and she really is) for as long as she has been, and still be so joyful in life, if she didn't have that desire. Anyone who can claim ChrisBlaser as a friend is blessed indeed. And she has categorically broken every mother-in-law stereotype there ever was

I honestly can't believe how blessed I am to have these two women in my life. They have both influenced my life greatly, and I strive to be more like them everyday. I know I don't deserve them, but I certainly never take them for granted. I love you both, and I hope you have a wonderful Mother's Day!