She Built the Foundation. She Builds Our Home.

A Mother’s Day reflection on the two women who shaped everything I am

One built the foundation I stand on. The other is building the home my kids are growing up in.

When I think about the most important mothers in my life, two words come to mind.

My Mama was foundational.

Karen is the template.

The Bible talks about a woman who “opens her mouth with wisdom and loving instruction is on her tongue.” Book of Proverbs 31:26

That’s my Mama.

She always knew the right thing to say. Not just to me, but to everyone. Our house was never just our house. It was everybody’s house. Friends came over, ate supper with us, went on vacations with us, and somehow always felt like they belonged. When they started calling her “Mama Sharon,” I remember feeling proud. I knew she was great, but hearing other people say it? That meant something.

A normal evening at our house looked a lot like a meat-and-three restaurant.

Three growing boys running around outside until the sun started going down. Then the back door would open and we’d hear, “Supper’s almost ready.” That was our cue. We’d come in hungry and sit down like kings. At least that’s what it felt like.

After supper, Mama would sit in her chair with a lamp hanging over her shoulder and cross-stitch. Night after night. Making something for someone else. That’s just who she was. Still is.

To this day, some of the things she’s made are my most prized possessions. I’ve got a Christmas tree skirt she made that means more to me than anything you could buy in a store.

She built the foundation of who I am.

I remember when I turned sixteen, she went with me to get my first car. It was a first for both of us. She had never bought one on her own either. But we figured it out together. I was proud of that car…but looking back, I’m more proud of her.

Home, because of her, felt like this quiet promise:
You’ll always have what you need.

And then there’s Karen.

Proverbs 31 says, “Her husband is known at the city gates…” and on the surface, that sounds like it’s talking about me. But if I’m being honest, the only reason I have the confidence to lead, to step out, to be known in any space I walk into…is because of her.

Karen is the engine that makes our home run.

Most of what I do is visible. What she does? It happens behind the curtain. And if I tried to list it all, we’d hit a character limit before I got halfway through.

Her brain is like a financial app. She knows prices, interest rates, terms—things I didn’t even know were things to know. I’ve learned to at least be part of the conversation, but more often than not, the right answer is, “Whatever you think, Karen.” And she’s usually right.

But what she really does is make people feel seen.

When Brighton turned 11, she started something that’s now become a tradition. Each of our kids gets a one-on-one trip to Universal Studios, complete with a Hogwarts letter to kick it off. No distractions. Just time with Mama or Daddy. And when you’re there, the whole day is simply, “What do you want to do?” or “Where do you want to go?”

It’s not just a trip. It’s a memory they’ll carry forever.

And that’s who she is.

She looks for ways to create those “wow” moments.

She surprises me with glass bottle Sun Drops. She lets me buy Batman costumes that are probably overpriced. She cooks my favorite meal when I’ve had a long day.

And then there are the things nobody sees.

She prays for me. For our kids. For our family.
She stays in her Bible consistently. And whether she knows it or not, it pushes me to stay in mine too.

You know how on an airplane they tell you to put your oxygen mask on first?

I’ve told her that applies to her too.

She just smiles and says, “I’ve got to take care of my babies first.” We don’t always agree on that part…but I understand her heart.

Because I saw that same kind of love growing up.

After my parents divorced, there were times I knew my Mama wasn’t fully appreciated. And somewhere along the way, I made a quiet decision: I wanted a wife like my Mama…but I wanted to love her the way my Mama deserved to be loved.

And God didn’t just answer that prayer.

He exceeded it.

Karen takes care of me in a way that’s obvious to anyone who watches us for five minutes. We still hold hands walking through the grocery store. We fall asleep the same way. Yes, we’re those people.

And I’m not even a little bit sorry about it. Not one bit.

My kids get the best of both worlds.

An amazing grandmother.
An incredible mother.

And I tell them sometimes, I might be the one doing a little chiseling as they grow…but their Mama is the polish. She’s the one who makes them shine.

My Mama made me shine.

Karen is doing the same for them.

If you asked my kids about my Mama, they’d say, “MeeMee is awesome.”

If you asked them about Karen, they’d say, “We have the best Mama in the world.”

And honestly…they wouldn’t be wrong.

Both of them would give their last dollar for those kids without thinking twice.

So today, I just want to say this:

Mama, thank you for the foundation you built. I see it now more than I ever did before. I would not be the man, husband, and father I am today without you.

Karen, when I prayed for a wife and a mother for my future children, I never imagined God would check every box. He not only gave me what I asked for, but He gave me what I needed.

And I’m better for it. And so are my kids.

Happy Mother’s Day to you Sharon Wiegand and Karen Wood. The world is a better place because the both of you are in it.

Especially mine.