Happy Mother’s Day Mom! I’m sorry not to be there to celebrate with you. So, I wrote this for you instead.

Top 10 things I learned from my mom

1. Drive
I mean this literally and figuratively. You taught me how to drive when I was…young, really young. I’ll always remember the first time I drove alone and the sheriff followed me home. I was 13.

You have a huge sense of drive in all that you do. You set your mind to something and doesn’t stop until you have it.

2. Reading
Every night when growing up, you would read to Jamie and me. You told us that you read to us to put us to sleep, but I know better. You read to put yourself to sleep. And you know, I do that now too.

3. Taste
From blue cheese to olives to sauerkraut, some of your favorites are some of mine too.

4. Strength
You taught me what being strong is all about. You are the definition of a strong, independent woman, and you taught that by example.

5. Hard work
No one I know works harder than you. You are always doing something, and never idle.

6. Character
It’s your character that is most important. Not your looks, not your clothes, but how you treat others when they aren’t looking.

7. Independence
You want me to be independent and experience the things I want to experience. You always encouraged me to go out and do what I wanted to do, even if it was / is against the “normal” flow.

8. Grammar
My obsession with English grammar probably started with you. I remember you correcting my dangling participle before I even knew what that meant.

And you still correct our blog posts. Thank you!

9. Faith
Faith in God, other people, and ourselves.

10. Fearlessness
You have this. I’m still learning it, and I look to you as an example.