A Chrysler Town & Country minivan is parked below a basketball hoop in the driveway. The garage door is open to reveal a fleet of bicycles parked inside.

Sheri Carlstrom, 45, is America’s 2010 Young Mother of the Year but inside her ordinary home in a row of ordinary Aboite Township houses, it’s more like, “Mother of the what?”

Life is a revolving door of football practice and track meets. Of husband Kevin, traveling to Chicago two days a week for work. Of feeding, clothing and caring for Courtney, 17, Zach, 15, Erin, 12, and Kyler, 12. Of trips to church, to youth group, to mentor a group of young moms. Of visits to the grocery store, the dry cleaners and the Y.

Carlstrom jokes that she was late to every event at the New York City convention where she was honored. When her name was announced as the national winner, she thought it was a mistake, she said.

“I don’t know any mom who would say, ‘I’m Mother of the Year,’ ” she said. “What I want to bring to that title is authenticity.”

American Mothers Inc., the official sponsor of Mother’s Day, has recognized a Mother of the Year since 1935.

The 75th-anniversary convention was a two-day event that began April 30 at the Waldorf-Astoria, where the first award was presented by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s mother, Sara Delano Roosevelt.

Now a Mother of the Year and Young Mother of the Year are chosen annually from nominees sent by state chapters.

Carlstrom found herself inadequate, so reluctant to be labeled a Young Mother of the Year that she had taken two months to accept the Indiana Association of American Mothers nomination.

But Carlstrom knew the nomination would be an opportunity to meet, in her words, “some amazing mothers from around the country.”

Those mothers, it turns out, were a lot like her. Three mothers – Carlstrom included – had calls while in New York City about their children having trouble. One child – not Carlstrom’s – had burned down the playhouse in his backyard.

“We’re just representatives of every other mother,” she said.

Carlstrom works one day a week as communications director for Sonrise Church. She also co-owns and operates a small business with her sister Jamie Haenggi.

Since 2008, she has kept a public blog, full of self-deprecating humor and serious moments, called “Slices of an Ordinary Life.” Last week, she decided to start a new blog about her year as Young Mother of the Year.

But what to call it?

Fifteen-year-old Zach had the winning suggestion: “Mother of the What?”

“Everyone was really surprised,” said Zach, who is quick to add that doesn’t mean he thinks the award is undeserved. “She never expected to win it.”

That’s because Sheri Carlstrom doesn’t have the perfect family. But even an imperfect family strives for improvement, she said.

Carlstrom’s favorite family moments come on Sunday nights, when the family gathers for a roundtable sharing and devotional time about whatever is on their minds. The children take turns leading the discussion.

The family time will change as the family’s dynamic shifts. She and her husband recently finalized adoption of Kyler, who had stayed with them in the past as a foster child. And oldest daughter Courtney is preparing to graduate high school soon and head off to college to study chemical engineering.

Keeping the family calendar organized is such a challenge that Carlstrom said she tends to think of her mom role on a small scale, limited by day-to-day experiences.

Seeing the mothers who gathered in New York City for the American Mothers Inc. convention made her look at the bigger picture. Those mothers, grandmothers and great-grandmothers are raising the next generation of leaders, she said.

“It made me realize that we have a huge influence, us moms,” Carlstrom said. “If I raised children of integrity, I’ve done my job.”

The Carlstrom clan seems to be on the right track.

Out of earshot of her mother, 12-year-old Erin Carlstrom said she plans to write a Mother’s Day letter to thank Mom for what’s she done for the family.

“She can always tell how I’m feeling, even if I don’t tell her,” Erin said. “She always puts herself last and others first.”

aturner@jg.net