Dear Rachel,
For this, and the next few posts, I wanted to include the kids.    You are an amazing mother and I don't think you have any idea how much you inspire and influence our children.  So I decided to ask each of the kids how you bring love, peace and happiness to their lives.  Now, not all the kids grasped this concept with equal enthusiasm and comprehension, and that will probably become apparent over the next couple of weeks, but we will start with Jenna.
She said that one thing she loves is how you wake her up in the morning.  You always rub her back and gently call her name and help her wake up peacefully.  I asked her how this brings love, peace and happiness, and she said that it is something that only you can do.  It helps her be optimistic when waking up.  I can attest to the truthfulness of this.  A few years ago, I had a rare day where I did not leave for work before the kids were out of bed.  I thought I would be helpful and get the kids ready for school.  I marched into Jenna's room igniting the blinding lights and announcing to Jenna (and in her opinion, the rest of the neighborhood) that it was time to get out of bed.  She obediently prepared herself for the day, then burst into tears because I had been so abrupt in starting the day.  I have tried many times since then to duplicate your peaceful commencement of the day, but somehow my attempts have resulted in gently rubbing her elbow, poking her eye, tripping over clothes before I make it to her bed, and calling her name in a voice that reminds her of an intimidating batman.
Although she tries very hard to not let me ruin her day, it is obvious that she enjoys it more when you are the one to wake her up.  Just your presence brings peace to the morning.
She also said that she loves it when you tuck her in at night.  You always take the time to go talk to her about the day and make sure she knows she is loved.  It may not seem like a big deal, but Jenna looks forward to the end of the day when she gets that special time with you.  Throughout the day, she is surrounded by 3 energetic brothers, a sometimes high-maintenance baby sister and she sometimes feels lost in the shuffle. But that time each night helps to remind her that she is also a special part of the family.
We love you.