Happy Birthday, Mom!

Yesterday was my favorite woman's birthday! Yep, my mom's SPECIAL day! And seriously, could anyone be more deserving of a special day?! I think not!

Just a few thoughts for my mom. Mom, I love you so much! You have NO idea how much I look up to you and admire the woman that you are. You are a person who does not complain, but works hard every day to accomplish your goals and responsibilities. You have the most incredibly optimistic outlook on life that spills out onto all those that are around you. It's near impossible to feel down when you're around! You are an example to me of service -- TIRELESS service, even when it comes at a sacrifice to some of the things you love. You connect to people because you genuinely care about them and their well-being and have so many, many people who love you and love being with you. You are the most incredible mother. For 31 years I have been the lucky recipient of ALL things mother from you -- a soft hand when I was sick, a provider, an exemplar of hard work but also lots of play, a teacher of the most important things in life, a cook of delicious meals, a woman so jam packed full of talents that you never hesitated to share for your children's benefit. And now, you are my adviser and example of how to be a better mother and person and best of all, one of my best and most treasured friends. I cherish this season in our relationship full of talks and sharing and laughing and you, always there, still teaching me. But above all else that I love about you is how you somehow manage to find the time to be the most involved, loving, interactive, FUN grandma to our girls! They just love you so much and light up when they know they are going to see you! It means so much to me that they have such a special bond with their grandma and to know that you are an equally important person in their lives as you are in mine. Thank you for loving them and for giving so much of yourself to their happiness!

I'm sooooo grateful that we were able to share your birthday WITH you this year. Soooo happy you're home with us. And sooooo GRATEFUL that you are my mom! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!!

(In celebration, the girls and I went down to take Grandma to lunch and then the rest of us adults got to go have dinner with my mom later that night! So great to be able to spend time with you today with you, mom!)