In honor of Mother’s Day, Racheal & I dedicate this post to our mamas and all of the mamas out there who have taught how to grow, learn, reach, inspire & love. Here are just a FEW of the treasures we have gained from our Moms.  Happy Mother’s Day Carol & Robin. 

Erin: 

1. Do all things with excellence.  This is her strongest and most enviable trait.  When my mom commits to something (big or small) she does it well.  She is careful and thoughtful and pays the utmost attention to detail.  It is not done until it is done well.
2. Stand up straight.  Posture and poise are important.   
3. Order can make life less stressful.  I gave my mom many a hard times growing up, for all of the labels and boxes and bins and drawers that were organized in our home.  Her planner was color coded and our medicine cabinet even had drawers for all of the medicine things.  This is such a strength of hers.  I have such a long way to go, but I have found that if everything has a special place, it can cut down on the chaos that life tends to throw at me, and might allow me to not miss out on an fleeting opportunity.  
4. It will pass.  From bruised knees, the loss of pets, boyfriend breakups, term papers, wedding planning, late night feedings, piles of messes and laundry… all the things that seem too hard to get through or endure, she has always reminded me that it too shall pass and the sun will shine again.  
5. Be resourceful. My mom decided to stay home full-time when I was 3 and with a growing family she had to be creative in the ways that we lived.  She would make plans for picnics, research free outings, paint old furniture (before it was trendy), weave leftover chicken into other weeknight meals, build her own projects from nothing, sew us curtains and pretty dresses and there were no thrift or discount stores that she did not know by heart.  We were content to make all situations work.  
6. Gardening. I blame my plant obsession on my mama.  I used to follow her around in the yard and she would tell me the names all of the flowers and bushes and trees. She has some mad landscaping skills for sure.  Me, I’m still working on it. 
7. Where there’s a will there’s a way.  Mom has a few stories she keeps in her pocket that she likes to whip out and tell occasionally.  One in particular involves her great-great grandfather being told his daughter wouldn’t survive an appendectomy and how he would NOT take “No” for an answer, so he took a train with his sick child over night to a city hospital to get another opinion.  The daughter lived and none of us would be here if it weren’t for her dad’s will to save his daughter’s life.  She has stood on this principle as she has grown a non-profit Women’s Clinic into a successful organization.  Saving lives is in her DNA, so is her strong will to fight for it. 

8. Listen. Mom is the best listener.  I feel like our convos are always so one sided as I dump all of my current thoughts and problems in her lap.  She heals through her lending ear.

9. We might not feel equipped for our calling but God always provides.  Mom’s faith is the most sure & solid part about her.  She has faced so many trials and troubles in her life, but through the storms and chaos, nothing seems to shake the core of her.  She has this assuredness that God will be in it with her and will provide exactly what she needs to get through.  

10. Love color. Being married to my dad, an architect, mom has an affinity for design and style.  She LOVES her some color palettes and the skill of coordinating & complimenting color to create a beautiful environment. She has a well trained eye for style and it plays out in her home, her yard, her style, etc…  When I was in kindergarten, I told my teacher that my favorite color was seafoam green, and got quite the surprised look.  Thanks mom

11. Take some time to care for yourself as a mom. Everyone will be the better for it!

12. Seek him daily.  I will forever have images in my mind of my mom & her journal at our dining table every morning.  Seeking Him first in her life.  Laying out her troubles to Him and letting truth seep in.  

13. Always stop for a good deal. Many Friday mornings of my childhood were spent with doughnuts and garage sale hunting.  She would always say, “you have to get through a lot of junk to find that one good treasure.”—funny how that seems to ring true in so many other areas of life.

14. Seek sunshine.  We love the outside and warm and summer and its crazy how the sun shining can always make things better.

15. Believe that unimaginable great things can happen.  When my mom followed her dream of opening a Women’s Clinic 17 years ago, I don’t think she had any clue the imprint that her life would leave in so many, many other people’s lives.  She put one foot in front of the other and believed that God would show up to make it work.  She says that you just wait and wait and wait and then He blows you away with the things He can do.

---

Racheal:

1. ain’t nobody but jesus perfect

2. there’s no time to be sad, just time to be purposeful – of course, there’s time for mourning, and there’s time for grief.  i was definitely taught that.  but when i would get sad about something that i could change, my mom would tell me this: recognize the sadness, recognize the problem, and confront it.

3. you can take whatever you have in the fridge and come up with a perfect meal. just takes a little creativity.

4. don’t worry about what everyone else is doing, worry about yourself – this one is so valuable to me and i probably think about it everyday.  “comparison is the thief of joy”.  my mom doesn’t compare. she really doesn’t. she puts her head down and does her work, whether it’s being a mother, a wife, a daughter, or her 9-5. i have found so much freedom in this.

5. classiness is next to godliness – i never made mom more mad than when i forgot to write my thank you notes, or wear a slip under my skirt.

6. pretty much every outing, whether big or small, needs some sort of drink. sonic drink, coffee, or a coke icee.

7. turn regular everyday things into something beautiful – my mom has a cute coffee bar in her house. it even has a name… we call it “bird’s beans”.  she always has it stocked with various flavored coffees and chai, some fun syrups, cream, and a milk frother. and of course some baileys from time to time.  i love how she thinks through the little things and turns them into events.  mint juleps with fresh mint from her patio, or if we were having tacos, go get some queso from our favorite mexican place.  she knows how to turn something regular into an event. she’s intentional.

8. use what you have – spray paint and rearranging go a long way

9. make time for yourself – read a book, workout, garden. i watched her try and make time for these things. it wasn’t easy, i know. i remember watching her have quiet time reading or praying in the mornings as i was getting ready for school. 

10. get married if you want, but don’t depend on a man for everything – she taught me that self-sufficiency is huge. get a degree or get a job, preferably both. 

11. work hard and reward yourself – work your tail off, and then spend $30 on a pedicure or a pair of shoes. sometimes giving yourself some positive reinforcement is just what you need to keep going.

12. always, always look for a coupon before going to the restaurant.

13. dream big – seriously, my mom is the main reason i am even in this business.  she has no shortage of faith in me.  but honestly, her belief in herself and her efforts is probably what’s most inspiring. she always found a way to make things work. for us and for herself.  she set big goals and achieved them. she never let doubt get in the way. doubt isn’t an option.

14. do your job and stay away from drama

15. put some lipstick on