"All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother."

~Abraham Lincoln

Something tells me that President Lincoln's mum, Nancy, would have approved of a Gettysburg Address sampler.

In the early 1800s, Nancy Hanks was working as a seamstress when she met Thomas Lincoln, a carpenter. Historians describe Nancy as a top-notch needlewoman who crafted all manner of clothing, from wedding clothes to funeral attire and everything in between. Nancy and Thomas were married in 1806, and three years later Abraham was born.

Nancy strived to give her children the opportunities she and her husband never had. Intelligent and hard-working, she was loved by family and friends. Sadly, she died young of milk sickness. Nancy Hanks was only 34 years old.

I had planned to save today's quote for Mother's Day, but I thought -- why wait for a Hallmark holiday to show appreciation for our mothers? I love Lincoln's quote because he expresses my feelings for my own mother -- she is my hero. My mom is a seamstress who taught me how to stitch and sew -- but more importantly, she taught me how to learn and take risks. Thank you, mom!

Now, here's a wild bit of trivia . . . Tom Hanks, the actor, is a distant cousin of Nancy Hanks, the mother of the 16th President of the United States. He is related to Abraham Lincoln. Imagine that -- Sleepless in Seattle Tom Hanks, You've Got Mail Tom Hanks, Saving Private Ryan Tom Hanks!

I always liked Tom Hanks and I wonder if he'd consider playing Abraham Lincoln in a film. Can't you imagine him wearing a stovepipe hat?