I’ve always known there was something special about my mom. Maybe it’s because of her infectiously positive outlook on life, or the way she gives of herself no matter how full her plate, or how her laughter comes from the inside in a way I’ve never seen before.

My mom helped me understand that I should appreciate what I have, while I have it. Some of that's really small stuff. My earliest memory is being washed in the kitchen sink, and then, my disappointment when we had to move that to the bath. Later, well, I loved having pajamas with the feet in them,...

When we had Thanksgiving at our house, my mom cooked every dish from scratch. She baked fresh bread, cooked five-course Chinese dinners, and made jam from blackberries that we picked -- and she worked part-time. Though I don't have the patience for the kitchen that she does (and I don't know how...

Always make time to play with the kids. (Or grandkids.) When the family is gathered, my dad often complains that my mom is wasting time "piddling around with the kids" rather than doing something he wants her to do. She usually ignores him, because she figured out long ago that kids grow up way too...