Happy Birthday, Mom!

I would like to wish a Happy Birthday to the most amazing mother in the entire world!

As I sit here, thinking about what I shall write, I feel an overwhelming sense that there is so much that I can say, and not enough words to adequately say it! So, I guess that I will just start at her beginning and hope I get it right!

My mother, Susan Bea, was born into the Aman family, in 1949. Her daddy was a Cowboy, and her momma was a homemaker, in every sense of the word! They owned a little ranch in Oreana, Idaho.

She joined two brothers, Pete and Joe.
She was loved and adored by all the cowboys who hung around the ranch.

As the years went on, Terry, Gary and Lisa joined the family.
Sue's dad, Wayne surrendered his life to Christ, when she was a young girl. He went on to become a preacher, and a pastor. He started and pastored the churches in Kuna, Midvale and Greenleaf, Idaho.
My mother was working at Mercy Medical Center in 1970, and met my dad, who was also working there. They married, and in 1972, Sheila Dyan was born into the Horn Family.
In 1974, Aaron Paul joined them.


My parents later divorced, and my mother became a single mom. These were the years that I grew to really appreciate my mother. I remember her strength when she struck out on her own to make sure that Aaron and I not only grew up in a Christian home, but also a peaceful home. She went through many hard times, trying to put food on the table and clothes on our backs. She did all of this without complaining. She held onto Jesus, and the support of her parents, brothers and sister.


There were many things that my mom did to make our home cozy and full of traditions. She made our birthdays a huge deal! Thanksgiving and Christmas were times of joy, family, delicious smells and yummy food. Music always filled our home. My mom most often had a song in her heart. When she wanted Aaron and I to get along, she would sing, "Jesus, Others, and You(JOY)", or she would make us sing it while we hugged. Oh, how we hated that!
I can remember hundreds of times (no exaggeration) that I heard my mom sing, "God Hath Not Promised"...skies always blue, flower strewn pathways, all our lives through. But He hath promised strength for the day, help for the laborer, light for the way."
I remember the tears she shed, but I also remember the prayers she prayed. She spent time with Jesus daily, and it was evident.

When Duane proposed to me, my mother was hysterical. She was so concerned that I was making the right decision, but when we assured her that we were, she embraced Duane wholeheartedly!
Duane would tell you today, that he has the best mother-in-law in the whole world! (I think she likes Duane more than me!:)

In May of 1994, a wonderful, kind and true gentleman, Bob Davenport, came along and swept my mother off of her feet! (the truth is...she chased him!)
They were married with their children right beside them, and all for it!
I watched a light go on inside my mom, when she married Bob. He has treated her like a wife should be treated....a queen!
I watched my mom embrace Bob's children as her own, and Bob has become a true loving father to Aaron and I.

Now she is grandma to 7 grandkids. They think Grandma Sue is amazing! She makes sure that when they are around, they feel very loved and individually special. She sets the children's table with special seasonal plates and napkins. And on their birthdays, they get to eat off of "The Blue Birthday Plate"!!


My mother taught me many lessons, not always intentionally, but I learned them none the less. Here are just a few...
She believed in hard work, and taught me that if a job is worth doing at all, it is worth doing right the first time.
She taught me to treat others as I wanted to be treated.
Her home was her haven, and it was important to her that it was at peace.
She always defended Aaron and I when we were treated wrong. She would say, "If your Momma doesn't defend you, who will?" At the same time she knew when we were in the wrong, and would call us on the carpet for our wrong-doing.
She taught us to say, "thank you", "please" and "pardon me", but most important, she taught us to say, "I'm sorry, will you forgive me?"
She believed children should be very involved in the family's life, but they should not "rule the roost".
She believed in finding the good in everything and everybody.

I am so grateful that I was raised in her home! I look back and realize that the picture of our life was painful and hard sometimes, but because of Mom's diligence and persistence, we grew up happy, and we knew that we were loved!

Mom, I hope you know how special you are to me. You are a beautiful lady full of grace and the joy in your heart flows freely onto those around you.
You are not perfect, but almost!
We didn't have it all together, but together we had it all!
I love you,
Sheila