Avance's: Happy Birthday Mom!

So today is my mom's birthday, and my uncle Kesley's too :) So I thought I would spend a few minutes and list some of the things I love and admire most about my mom...
1. She has always put her children first. She didn't work outside of our home until all of us were grown up. She was always there to help with homework or to come to our rehearsals or performances. She was supportive of everything that we did. She withdrew from a semester of school after Jay's accident so she could stay home with her "grown up son" and reteach him to walk and how to function on his own. She would not let him give up.
2. She understood that all of us are different and treated us as so. Growing up, I was always the most needy, but she never favored any of us, just knew what we needed.
3. She faithfully attended the temple on a regular basis. I never realized how important this was to our family until I went through myself. I admire my mother for this sacrifice and obedience.
4. She always stood up for what she believed in. She does not let other people walk all over her. She is a strong woman and taught me and my sister that it is ok to be a strong woman and still be a mother and a wife. There is room for it all.
5. My education has become a priority in her life. She has refused to let me "take a break from school" again. She knows how important education is and has made many sacrifices to make sure I finish and I finish well. Along with my dad, she has spent thousands of dollars in the past year and a half to make sure I am where I need to be and able to finish my education. Money has not been an issue in this quest for them.
6. My mother has taught us kids that it is ok for us kids to not succeed as number one, but quitting is never an option. I have never seen my mom quit when times got hard. She has stuck through everything that she has started. Because of her example, none of her children are quitters, we're strong headed and we're fighters.
7. My mother taught me how important it is to save money. She has recently been able to show me that it is ok to splurge on occasion, but savings is also important. It is because of her example that Kyle and I have any money in the bank at this time.
8. She doesn't dwell on materialistic things. Yeah, she lives in a nice home and drives a nice car, but that is not her focus in life... for her, it's not about "competing with the Jones'" She has those things because her and my dad work hard and after all these years, she deserves them. She doesn't have to show off the biggest and the best, and because of her, I also don't dwell on materialistic things.
9. My mom taught us to work hard. Since I have joined the "real working world" I am amazed at how many people have little or no work ethic at all. My mom taught us from a super young age that it is important to be dependable and to be honest. Stealing time is stealing, period.
10. My mom is my best friend. Ever since I was in high school, I have looked to my mom for advice and to be a friend. She gave up many hours to accompany me to dr's appointments, walk in the blazing sun when I needed to get out of the house and to this day, talk to me almost daily on the phone. She is the kind of mom I want to be.