Happy Mother's Day to Karen Nelson, my amazing mom!

Now I know most of us will agree that we have the best mother in the world but I definitely think I was blessed with the best. My mother- maiden name Karen Otting grew up a middle child with out a middle name. My mom always wanted one so she gave herself one- Elizabeth, which is now my middle name. My mother- once a flower child and now a blooming empty nester, working hard in public relations. She raised us with the word of God as her guide, along with my father- teaching us first to love our God and then love others. And she exemplified that in her everyday life whether it was welcoming international students into our homes, or simply giving the chatty lady at the grocery store a listening ear. My mother was also a teacher and homemaker, filling our home with the smell of freshly baked bread. My mother- a tenderhearted woman that allowed us to have an abandoned squirrel as a pet, and cried alongside us when it died. That was always mom's job- to take the animals to the vet for their final hours. I never thanked her over the years for bearing that burden. The burden of sorrow and the loss of life. She sat beside them in their final hours, giving comfort and love. We always tease my mom about her obsession with journaling, but secretly I envy her for all her deep thoughts. Every morning I remember running to her room to find her deep in prayer or feverishly journaling new revelations God gave her. But she was never selfish with those revelations- delighting equally in sharing them with me and my brother and sister. Through her eyes I saw a loving Savior, a friend, a teacher. She gave me my first pictures of Jesus. My mother- friend, teacher, both lovely and wise. Thank you for your heart, for giving so unselfishly of yourself, for loving each of us with a nurturing mother's love. Love you momma