"Love at Home"

My mom, Luanne Anderson Nielsen is a beautiful woman and has been for her entire life. Even as a baby she won the beautiful baby contest. As a kid, I loved seeing that photo of her with the rosiest cheeks I have ever seen on a baby.

She is smart, full of love and integrity, and has impeccable penmanship. Ask anyone who knows her and they will probably mention her flawless signature. One I even tried (and failed) to master as an adolescent.

She is driven and authentic. I looked up to her when she went back to school to earn her masters degree. She was so dedicated to her education but so dedicated to us; to her family.

As a grown woman, I understand the sacrifices she made for us. For the time she spent just making our home comfortable, clean and organized. She made holidays wonderful and Sunday dinners memorable. I know now that it was her who made it all come together. Those cookies in the cookie drawer, the clean carpets and the peace in our home—it was all her doing.

She always listened and always cared. Some of the fondest memories of my mom are the simple ones; where she and I are just chatting as we get ready in the morning. I didn’t realize how close we were becoming but looking back we talked nearly every day through high school and on through college and beyond. We talked through my classes and stressful professors, jobs, and boys. We talked about everything and anything. She confided in me and me in her. She has become my best, most cherished friend.

She is a woman of such strength, meekness and humility. She has no idea how wonderful and strong she is. She doesn’t know how smart and dedicated she is. But she can do anything she puts her mind too—even learn another language in her seasoned years. Blame it on her father’s stubborn flare but she gets what she sets out to get.

I love my Mom with all my heart and am so proud to know her. I have the same blood running through my veins of some wonderful women. Donna, Alta, Eunice, they were all women I am proud to be related to. I hope I can become half the person any of them was and a smidgen of the woman my mother is.

I love you, Mom. What you have given me through your example and the way you just live life is something that will always be with me. Your influence has made me who I am. I see pieces of you in me, and I’m ok with that.