thanks, mom...

If there was a competition for the best mom ever, my mom would win. sorry, friends... she's the best.... hands down.
maybe we've gotten into it a few times during this whole process, but now that I'm in mississippi and am with her every step of the way, i can completely understand why she wis on pins and needles every time we talked. guys, this is HARD work.
But beyond the few little spats we had, let me just tell you what my mom's done to make the day extra special:

-she made 200 miniature apple pies BY HAND for boone's "groom's cake"
-she hand calligraphied 200 invitations herself. (i know!)
-for our wedding gift she's giving us a handmade quaker wedding certificate that SHE wrote.
-she's taken care of most of the big planning things so that I could focus on my coursework. This may be the best gift of all.

and she does so much more. see? my mom wins, mostly because she does these sorts of things all the time. she's around when i need her, she has helped me pack up and move my apartment more times than i can count, she takes care of other people who are sad or sick, she forgives and forgives and forgives, and she loves... so much. i am so thankful to have her and hope that one day i'm HALF the mom she is.

photo from storypeople