A family that loves me

My mom made this for me to celebrate remember another year of blessings and accompliments:

Thanks Mom!


With this beautiful little note: 

Jenny, though I hope your other gifts reach you today, I'm sending this one by e-mail, a collage of your life in the past year. I marvel at your resiliency, knowing all you were going through that you packed so much into your life and the lives of your family.I can never tell you -- though since you are the mother of your own daughters -- how much I love you and how very much you've added to my life, since the moment you were born 35 years ago through the years to today.You are such a very special person, not only to me but to many, many, many others. You make a difference. We are so lucky to have  you, and I consider you the shining achievement of my life.I love you so much.Happy birthday,Your proud mother

AND


I also got a card so sweet that I couldn't really read it in front of them, from my brother, and his girlfriend, Heather.  I came upstairs and behind my closed door, I read and I cried.  It was too kind.  Matt just got back from Iraq in September.  I've always had a great relationship with him, but I feel extremely close to him after his year away and the time we've spent reconnecting since he returned.  This was the first card I've ever gotten from him that wasn't along the lines of "thanks for all the years of torture growing up!".  :)  


It said: 

She's the first to help someon,
to see a need and lend a hand,
to sense a pain and understand.
That's just the way my sister is. 

She's always busy, doing more
than other people can get done,
and yet she finds the time for fun.
That's just the way my sister is. 

She has so many qualities
that others recognize as rare,
but she's completely unaware.
That's just the way my sister is.
That's why I love her. 

There have been some times in my life
when I don't know how I would have
made it through if it hadn't been for you.
You support and help,
your confidence in me ~
all thees have meant more than I can tell you. 

I'll always be thankful for all
the wonderful things you are~
and especially for the wonderful fact
that you're my sister!
Happy Birthday.

You know, I get pretty sentimental when it comes to my mom and Matt.  And it's hard to put into words what my little family unit means to me.  I hope neither of them mind me sharing their sweet sentiments here.  I could read over and over the kind words they shared with me today, and I don't want them lost at the bottom of a pile of papers or lost in email clutter land, but displayed proudly for me to reread and remember the love that I am surrounded with, that I have always been surrounded with.  I'm the luckiest girl in the world to have to have the mama and brother I do.