Mother's Day Card

I want to tell everyone about my mother. Her name is Leslie Allen. And she is amazing. This post is an attribute to her and partly my dad.

My mom grew up in a small town in Louisiana. She went to a small college and met my dad while working as a waitress at a fish restuarant. One day I will share their love story, if allowed. It is one of my favorite stories to hear and tell.

Anyway, so they get married. And my dad tells her that he feels called into the ministry and they moved to Indiana to go to Bible college. My mom wanted to have children pretty much right away (I have no idea where I got that from :)  )  but God had other plans. They did not get pregnant right away, in fact, doctors told them that they could never get pregnant. 

Long story short-Luke, Leighton and I were born. My parents dedicated their lives to God and their family. My mom stayed home with us until we were all school-aged. When my dad had a day off they did something for us. We went to the park, the beach etc... My parents were REAL. They always let us make our own decisions with letting us know how they felt about it. Their love for God was/is evident is each choice they make. It is not in their heads, it is embedded in their hearts. And that is what they wanted to pass down to us. And they did.

My mom spent alot of time teaching me how to be a mom and a wife. I remember being in middle school and she would tell me things about marriage--and I would sit and think, "Why in the world is she telling me this? I am in the sixth grade." But now, I understand. Through my whole life living with her, she was preparing me for a life away from her. I am so grateful for her. I am so thankful she was self-less in raising us and self-less in being a wife. Her example has given me a lot to live up to. 

This Mother's Day was my first one. My Mom gave me this card:

     

The inside reads... Even before they told me, "It's a girl," I already loved you- and ever since then you have given me...

a lifetime of beautiful new reasons to love you more than I could have ever imagined.

It was very sweet, but the most special part was what my mom wrote inside...

       

"You have passed any expectations I've had for you...watching you with Audrie!"

I will cherish this forever.