My mother, a pony-riding, chin-up champion tomboy, grew up…
…to be one of the most beautiful women in the world, inside and out.
She's only 17 in the photo above.
I certainly didn't look this glamorous, elegant, or self-confident at 17.
I'm not sure I ever have!
She's a combination of strong, soft, tough, sweet, gutsy, generous, confident, sensitive, sharp, compassionate, independent, loyal and determined that makes the cast of Magnolia Steel look like a bunch of cry-babies.
It's no wonder she caught the eye of my handsome, shy highway patrolman Daddy.Did I mention she was smart, too? Smart enough to know a good thing when she saw it .
(And of course, he was that smart, too.)
She's the one who taught me you can do anything you put your mind to, or deal with whatever life plops in your lap.
(I want both of these dresses!)
No, that pretty little girl up there isn't me. That's my big sister, Brenda. I wouldn't show up for probably two more Easters.
But the little cowgirl in the next one is me.(I never have had my mom's sense of style. Hers comes through even in a watermelon shirt.)
Maybe I didn't inherit her sense of style, but I did inherit a passion for lifelong learning. Judging by the serious (annoyed?) look on her face, I bet she was studying for one of her college classes when I took the one below. (But my gosh, isn't she gorgeous?)
She taught me there are times to buckle down and be serious…
…but mostly she taught me that life, even with its ups and downs and its quirky sense of humor, is still fabulous.
She taught me to appreciate every single day the good Lord gives me on this earth.
She taught me that no matter what's going on your life, you can find something to laugh about…
…and a ready laugh is beauty's secret weapon, inside and out.
Happy Mother's Day, Mama! Thank you!
I've linked this post to Jillsy's latest blog hop, because I guess it's obvious I think my mom has always been a glamorous beauty. Check out the other Mom Tributes below, and feel free to add your own. You don't have to have a blog – a FlickR or Facebook photo will work, too.
Happy Mother's Day to all of you who have mothered someone at sometime in your life!
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Long Hollow 
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