Mother’s Day Thank You

Happy Mother's Day! In celebration, I wanted to say thank you to the women in my life who help me, encourage me, and inspire me.

Grandma Mumaw: Thank you for letting me spend hours sketching fashion designs or dancing to the Tarzan soundtrack. Thank you for teaching me how important dogs are in our lives, letting me pick out desserts from the Schwan's catalog, and always telling me when my butt looks good in a gown. Thank you for pushing Daniel and I to get things done like replacing our smoke alarms and getting new furniture. Thank you for taking me on trips around the country (and letting me turn on The Disney Channel in every hotel room) and giving me the gift of The Mouse- I knew how to get around Magic Kingdom before I knew how to get around our hometown. Thank you for teaching me the important life lessons like how to raise children who behave, why I don't want my kids to have pacifiers, and that I shouldn't put egg shells down the garbage disposal. Thank you for helping raise me to be kind and respectful. Thank you for continuing to take care of me no matter how old I get and most of all, thank you for getting me me holiday pickles for every Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter.

Grandma Clancy: Thank you for allowing me to try all kinds of creative projects like fairy houses and sewing and spending an entire day helping me make tamales. Thank you for introducing me to Harry Potter and instilling in me a love of reading. Thank you for showing me Chicago and Broadway shows, and teaching me to swim in your pool. Thank you for taking me to Ireland and Paris, and letting me rope you into getting Sampson. Thank you for always giving Daniel and I snacks like our favorite cheeses and trail mixes. Thank you for giving me your fingers and nails, and for showing me how to be a great teacher. Thank you for taking me to countless art lessons, gymnastics lessons, and play rehearsals. Thank you for the annual Christmas stocking orange, apple, and pear. Thank you for being the most fun to try new wineries and breweries with and for agreeing with me that Boursin is better in the foil than in the tub. Thank you for encouraging me to push out of my comfort zone and be unapologetically me.

Elizabeth: Thank you for making me feel comfortable being exactly who I am with your family, and for accepting me as a Skelton. Thank you for raising a kind and wonderful man, who understands the life of a teacher, loves animals, and works harder than anyone I know. Thank you for making me hard-boiled eggs and for watching our dogs when we are gone. Thank you for helping paint our house, clean out a nasty clogged drain, and clean up my house when I'm in a hurry and company is coming in an hour. Thank you for being a wonderful neighbor who is always willing to barter an onion for cream. Thank you for supporting me at Mrs. America, for throwing me a bridal showers, for making us Sunday dinners, and for praying for Baby Skelton.

Mom: Thank you for being the best ever. Thank you for pushing me to come out of my shell and try new things. Thank you for supporting me in all I do- from dancing to show choir to pageants to cheerleading to teaching. Thank you for doing my hair and for making me a peony costume. Thank you for driving down to take care of me when I broke my hip, for making me cheer bows, for driving me all over Michigan and then Indiana for appearances, for teaching me to love Grease and Jimmy Buffett, and for giving me a unique name. Thank you for my love of The Little Mermaid and villainous dresses, my eyes, and my creativity. Thank you for making me learn to be respectful and friendly and for listening to me tell you all about work on our daily morning and after-school phone calls. Thank you for laughing at my jokes and making me feel funny, for helping write my resume, for buying Baby Skelton the cutest things, and for letting me complain about the same things all the time. Thank you for texting me while we watch Miss USA and Miss America at our own houses, and for telling me I'm a good teacher and coach when I feel like I'm sucking. Thank you for reminding me that you can always choose your attitude- I now hear your voice when I say that to my athletes and students. Thank you for teaching me to keep my mouth shut if I have nothing nice to say, to do the right thing, and to stand up for myself. I am who I am because of you and I can't thank you enough for everything you do for me and with me.