Each month, iParenting.com spotlights a mother who inspires and moves us, who embodies the qualities that we all admire in a person, a woman and a mother. Above all, the Mom of the Month is dedicated to her children. Rich or poor, famous or not, she shines as an example of what mothering is all about.

Our choice for February is Kellie Coburn, mother of five.

Kellie Coburn has always placed her children on the top of her priority list. Even when her husband, Mark, was dying of cartilage cancer last year, she never wavered as a parent and remained the one person her children could count on when times were rough. Although she is a widow at age 37, Kellie embodies the spirit of motherhood and has endless love, encouragement and affection for her kids.

Throughout Mark’s battle with cancer, Kellie strengthened her family with togetherness. "Whether Mark was home or in the hospital, we always had family home evening on Monday night and did something special. We played games, talked and just spent a lot of time together," she says. "We also got down on our knees and prayed."

In between trips to the hospital, helping her husband with his wheelchair and oxygen tank, she also cared for their children and toted them to their various activities and schools. Her efforts kept their lives as normal as possible and their schedules running smoothly.

She talked openly with her children about their father’s illness and imminent death. "We never hid Mark’s illness from them. I told them he was going to die, but I would be here for them. They knew if anything happened to me, their aunt would raise them. Giving them the truth and a backup plan helped them feel safe."

Kellie feels thankful to be a stay-at-home mother. "I have always been here for my kids and they know that. I am the one person they can always count on." As Mark’s health declined, the children learned to rely on their mother more and more. Kellie explains, "Instead of saying ‘Dad, can you help me with this?’ The kids gradually turned to me for all their tasks, homework, etc. and asked for my help. By the time Mark died they knew I was the one who could take care of them," she says. "It made the transition of his death easier on all of us because he didn’t leave a void I had to fill, I was already the one they turned to."

Kellie always knew she wanted to have a lot of children, but her fifth pregnancy was a true surprise. "With my first four kids it took a lot of work and fertility drugs to get them here. Hannah, our last baby, was conceived while Mark was on oxygen and very weak," she says. "We never imagined I would get pregnant."

Hannah came as a blessing on Christmas Day 2000, five months after Mark Coburn’s death. "I felt Mark’s spirit in the room and bawled through the whole delivery," recalls Kellie. "He must have handed her down to me from heaven. She is the last gift he gave me."

Kellie continues to help her children deal with the loss of their father. "I encourage my kids to talk about their dad. I want them to express their pain and get it out. The other day my son said he wished he could do magic to bring his father back. It opened the doors to communication. We sat down and talked about Mark," she says.

Kellie spends a lot of time with her kids. She takes them to the park, library and many other kid-oriented activities. "I make sure we do fun things together as a family so my children know life is as it always has been. Even though their dad is gone, we can still have a good time."

To keep a male influence in their lives, she often takes her kids to visit their uncles and grandparents. Kellie also has a strong support system. "There are several men in our neighborhood who take my kids to basketball games. The kids love it and it keeps them around male role models," explains Kellie.

Throughout the long days of being without a partner, making endless meals, folding laundry and occasionally nursing sick kids, Kellie remains thankful for her children. "I’m happy to be a mother of five. I have some wonderful kids."