Thank you, Mom

She'd give you the shirt right off her back,
Then ask if you needed her coat.
She'll greet you with a smile and a hug,
And make any place feel like home.
She's stronger than she'll ever know,
Kinder than this world deserves.
My whole life she's given everything,
And somehow still gives more.
She was a nurse with a fearless spirit,
Taking every road she could find,
Even spent some time in Chinlee,
Caring for those in need and kind.
She hiked the Grand Canyon trails,
Though her knee might disagree,
And gathered stories through the years
As rich as any melody.
She sailed away on jazz cruises,
With old friends and songs in the night,
Trumpets dancing across the water,
Everything feeling right.
And now with Elouise and Rebecca,
The family circle's holding strong,
Three sisters telling the same old stories,
And arguing who remembers wrong.
Though half the conversation's "What'd you say?"
And who's got their hearing aid on,
Your patience deserves a medal, Mom,
For putting up with both of them this long.
She'd give you the shirt right off her back,
Then ask if you needed her coat.
She'll greet you with a smile and a hug,
And make any place feel like home.
She's stronger than she'll ever know,
Kinder than this world deserves.
My whole life she's given everything,
And somehow still gives more.
Life wasn't always kind to her,
Some years were hard to survive,
There were wounds she carried from Colorado,
And shadows she kept inside.
But now I hear that laughter again,
The one I missed for so long,
And when she smiles, it reaches her eyes,
Like the ending of a favorite song.
I've watched her become herself again,
Watched the sunlight breaking through,
And seeing her happy these last few years
Means more than words can do.
Baxter Jedidiah steals attention,
Angus thinks he owns the place,
And Sister Mary Jedidiah Peanut
Still finds comfort in her embrace.
Then Sadie and Chloe showed up,
Dropped right on our doorstep one day,
They were rough around all the edges,
But she loved them anyway.
She never cared whose blood you shared,
Or whose last name you wore,
If you came into the family,
She'd love you like one more.
She treated Charlie like a son,
From the very start,
That's just the way she's always been,
With that big and generous heart.
She'd give you the shirt right off her back,
Then ask if you needed her coat.
She'll greet you with a smile and a hug,
And make any place feel like home.
When the world feels heavy on my shoulders,
She's still the one who sees me through,
With every laugh, every smile,
And every simple "I love you."
She's stronger than she'll ever know,
Kinder than this world deserves.
My whole life she's given everything,
And somehow still gives more.
From a farm with sixteen children...
To Chinle and long night shifts...
To jazz cruises and family stories...
You've lived a bigger life
Than you'll ever give yourself credit for.
And these days,
When your laughter fills the room,
And your smile reaches your eyes again...
That's my favorite chapter of all.
We love you, Mom.