My dearest, darlingest mother,

I don't quite know where to begin a letter that is supposed to be celebratory of your 50th birthday. I wonder if you ever knew how much I appreciated all that you gave me, even though most of the time all I ever gave you was a simple "thank you." Those words sound so pathetic given the circumstances.
HALF a century old, you now are. Fortunately for us, you don't act like it. :) and I mean that in the best of ways. By the time most people are 50 they are crazy, a little bit senile, and mean. But not you!! You are so much fun, and you always have been. That's how I remember you always being. You are always able to find the good and humor in anything and everything. I think that is something that really draws people to you. You've passed that on to your children by teaching us to think optimistically, yet realistically. It is this and other values you instilled in me that helped make me who I am today. Thank you for helping to shape me into a person I like and can be somewhat proud of. Thank you for your support throughout my journey.
You never stopped loving me no matter what. Even when you were mad at me you still loved me. I never understood how you could do that. But you did. You just always loved me and all of your children perfectly unconditionally. And you were always really great at showing it. You have always put your children first. At the beginning of each new school year I had new clothes and a new pair of shoes. Who even knows the last time you bought clothes or shoes for yourself. Thank you for teaching me how to live life by your example. I'll always be able to remember the things you taught me and hopefully I can put those things to use and live by them as well as you do and always have.
Whenever I come across something in life that seems difficult, I so often think of all the hardships you turned into triumphs. The times when I would complain about my difficulties, I would feel foolish. Somehow, you are always able to put on a happy face and get through your trials and you come out stronger than ever before. I really hope that is something I got from you.
I am so excited to go on to college and i know I'm ready because of you; because of the things you taught me. The ability to tell myself that "it'll all turn out in the end", perseverance, the ability to laugh at myself, to trust myself, and to learn from my mistakes and have the strength to move on from them are just a few of the things that I'll be able to take with me as I move on in life. More importantly, you've instilled in me that beauty of the gospel and of a woman living within its guidelines. You've helped me come to the knowledge that there is nothing better. You've guided me throughout my entire life in this truth--and I owe you greatly for that because I would be no where without it.
I hope you have a wonderful 50th birthday. I love you so much more than you could ever know, and it's true-I will miss you so much ALL the time when I'm away for school. Thank you so much for everything, Mom.

Love your favorite youngest daughter,
Kalynn Eve.