Love x 3!

Oh how I love these ladies! (Danielle, my sister, on the left, and Toni, my mom, on the right.)

Every time I am with Danielle, I laugh so hard my cheeks hurt. She is so funny. She makes voices for animals, and is able to make fun of herself (and me) in a way that points out our flaws while showing love at the same time. That is just the beginning, though. Danielle is the most caring person I know. She loves animals and children, and her passion spills into her every day life. Some people talk about saving the dolphins or helping orphans; my sister SAVES the dolphins and HELPS the orphans. :) Her non-profit, Salvation International, raises money for couples who wish to adopt. She works tirelessly to promote Salvation so she can give money away. Although she would like to adopt herself, she knows that helping others adopt is a way she can contribute. Children LOVE Danielle. Whether they are her former dance students, her nieces, or her kids' friends, young people like to be around Danielle. Actually....everyone likes to be around Danielle. She accepts people for who they are and never judges them. God's love shines through her. I've learned a lot through my sister. (Who knew that the little sister would teach the big sister?) She enjoys each moment of her life, whether the smallest walk or the largest get together. She has true joie de vivre!

My mom taught me the most important thing in life: love never fails. (One of the most important sentences in the Bible, in my opinion!) Her grandmother, (Grandma Otti's mom) taught this to my mom. She loves me and my sister unconditionally. If you are in the hospital, my mom will drop everything and accompany you. Just recently, when Jeff had surgery on his knee during finals at my high school, it was my mom who drove him there, got the information from the doctor, and waited in the waiting room during the surgery, texting me updates. She is truly "there" if you need her. When I had the girls, my mom stayed with me for three weeks, helping me with their first baths, feeding schedules, and housecleaning. She even let me sleep when my lack of sleep caused me have a new mommy meltdown. My mom treats people who aren't in our family as if they are a part of the family. I know that we have many "adopted" siblings who crave the love that my mom has shown them. :) I'm glad to share.

How did I become so blessed? I hope I tell these ladies how much I love them on a frequent basis. I hope God knows that I know that He has blessed me. I hope I am as wonderful a sister and daughter to them as they are sister and mother to me.

xoxo