Not just what you do...

I didn't write much anything since last Monday, because I was spending time with my mom.

I have to say I have the best mom ever.

When Nate was away on a fishing trip, my mom stayed with me for a few days. She made the long drive out to see me all by herself, as my dad had to work.

The first full day together, she relaxed while I worked. Then I took off a couple of hours in the afternoon to eat lupper (late lunch, early supper) before we hit a few consignment shops. Then she saved me bout $40 and cut my hair, instead of me having to go to the hair salon. I think I terrified her having her cut of 8.5 inches to donate to Pantene Beautiful Lengths, but I had faith in her!

That night we also discussed what we would do for the evenings the rest of the week. I knew she could go shopping and do most of the touristy things when I was working, so we didn't have much scheduled for the evenings. I asked if she would want to help me paint our upstairs as a surprise for Nate when he got back.

Although she hates to paint, she said she would help me.

That meant the next two evenings were filled with trimming and painting and fixing missed spots - although we were proud we didn't have much to fix up - and hanging pictures on the wall that had been in boxes since we moved.

We stood back and looked at our handiwork. Instead of the bright green color that spoke to the fact that the room used to be a kid's playroom, the dark gray pictures, the clock with black scrollwork, the wedding photos showed the it was an adult room. The aqua houndstooth couch finally looked a home instead of clashing with the green walls. The canvas, painted with a tree and filled in with family and friends' thumbprints as leaves at our rehearsal dinner, finally has a place of honor on the wall.

What a wonderful mother to give of her vacation to help me do something she didn't even enjoy doing.

Even if we hadn't done any of these things though, it still would have been a great week. Because it's not what my mom does that makes her wonderful. It's who she is.

If you have someone in your life like that, say thanks to them today. Make sure they know they are loved for who they are, not just what they do.