I’ve always had a healthy relationship with my mom, but like any kid or teenager I gave my fair share of eye rolls and dramatic sighs. Looking back now I can see that a lot of the things that annoyed or embarrassed me at the time were some of the greatest lessons that she ever instilled in me. Here are three things that I may not have necessarily appreciated when I was growing up, but now that I am an adult I see how much it made me the person I am today, and I am grateful for it.

1. Mom loved dad.

She not only loved my dad, but she respected him, honored him, and stuck with him through thick and thin. They didn’t start out in the ideal situation. They were very young when they became parents. I don’t think she will mind me sharing, but they didn’t even mean to become parents…when they were dating… as teenagers. But it did happen and they got married, had four kids, and they’ve been married over 40 years now. I would always roll my eyes and become nauseous at the slightest bit of PDA from my parents and my mom would always say “you should be happy that we love each other”. Well, you were right mom. I am happy that you love each other and that you showed it in many ways.

2. Mom was crazy!

My mom was not the type to sit beside the pool getting a suntan. She is a farm girl always ready to jump in with both feet, and as a mother, it showed. One time she picked up a huge turtle shell that was on the side of the road and put in the back of our giant clunky VW van. While we were out at soccer practice this giant snapping turtle emerged from its shell and climbed up to the front of the van to where it was peeking over the dashboard! After the turtle started hissing at us, my mom returned it to a lake near our house. Fortunately, no humans or animals were harmed in the process.

I also remember when the Nintendo Power Pad came out in the ’80s and mom was right there with us joining in the fun. So much so that she actually sprained her ankle on the thing!

Lastly, I will never forget the time my oldest brother was explaining a science experiment where you set a piece of paper on fire put in a glass and attach it to your skin. The flame will immediately extinguish and the glass should stick to you when you let go. My brother was sticking it to his arm and stomach, but it wouldn’t work. So my mom volunteered to demonstrate the experiment on her face and it worked! The problem was it worked a little too well. Her entire cheek was sucked into the glass and it was stuck there. Once the glass did come off she had a hickey that belonged in the book of world records.

There are many other stories like that. Although there were times I was embarrassed by some of her antics, I wouldn’t trade my spontaneous mom for a tan one any day!

3. Mom was nosey.

I will never forget being in the sixth grade and planning a double date on the phone with my friend. We had it all figured out. My mom would drop me off at my friend’s house and then we would go to the theater where the boys would meet us.

When I got off the phone my mom asked what was going on and I simply told her that I was wanting to go to the movies with my friend. The more she prodded the more intricate my web of deception became until she finally admitted to listening in on my conversation (good ol‘ land lines) and told me that I was welcome to meet the boys at that movie theater, but she would be having a seat in the row behind me. UGHHHH, gag me with a spoon! I ended up not going to the movies. Looking back now I am so thankful I didn’t start dating that young. Who knows what kind of trouble I could have found myself in.

Then there was the time she tore into my brother’s best friend when she overheard him drop the F-bomb, or she found out that one of us had littered, and the list goes on. I felt like she did allow us freedom and privacy, but she wasn’t afraid to pry, eavesdrop, or butt in. She said the Holy Spirit would let her know when she needed to and I am sure she was right. So thanks mom for being so nosey.

Those are just a few of the things that I can now say that I am so grateful for. There are lots and lots of other reasons I love and appreciate my mom. I hope I can gross my kids out and embarrass them just as much as she did for me.