Happy Birthday Mom!

Last year I wrote this post on my moms birthday and I received a comment from an author, Gregory Lang. He re-writes and compiles stories mostly revolving around parent child relationships and he was working on a new one. I submitted the following story for consideration on her birthday last year, but in celebration of you mom I wanted to share it today...

Today is my moms birthday. I guess birthday's are a time when you tend to reflect on a person and all they mean to you, so I'm feeling a little sentimental. My mom is that person that has been my personal cheerleader from the day I was born. Looking back I am so amazed at how much she poured into each of her three children. I know now that left little for herself and the unselfishness with which she raised us amazes me. We grew up surrounded by a whirl of creativity, my mom is an artist by trade and it just oozes from everything she does. We had the privilege of listening to her play songs on the guitar that she made up just for us. She was the queen of make believe and encouraged us to exercise our imaginations. While other kids Halloween costumes most often appeared to have been bought from the local grocery store, ours were always some sort of dazzling concoction my mom whipped up on a budget! She made everything fun, even the ordinary things were extraordinary growing up with my mom. I think I am at a stage in life,being a mom to my own little 2 year old, where everyday holds a profound realization of all my mom did for me. The things I can't even remember like the potty training, teaching me to brush my teeth, mind my manners, the little things. She did them all. I'm consumed by those little things everyday. I guess that is why suddenly I am so overwhelmingly grateful for all she did for me. I have always felt appreciative for my childhood, but it is deeper now. I also realize the effect just one great day can have on a person.

When I was in the third grade I started a new school. It was hard on me. There was a lot of changes in my life, and for some reason I have never dealt well with change. One of the things that was sending me to school with an ache in my stomach everyday was the fact that in order for my mom to make it to her new job on time we had to eat breakfast in the school cafeteria. I hated it. I don't remember complaining a lot, but I know I entered the doors every morning feeling like I was going to throw up. I think the shock of going from our normal routine of waffles or pancakes in our warm cozy kitchen to cereal on a Styrofoam tray in a rather sterile environment was sending me over the edge. So, I'll never forget one morning when on our way to school my mom took a detour from our normal route. She whipped through our favorite donut shop and ordered a dozen. My brother, sister and I were cheering her on from the back seat. She pulled into one of our favorite parks and we all sat at a picnic table eating donuts in the early morning light. I remember the grass was really wet with dew and after we were done eating she let us play in the park until it was time to drop us off for school. I'm sure she was late to work that day. Maybe she even got in trouble. I know it was worth it. That day has stuck with me. I think reflecting back it was just what I needed to feel like, in the midst of change and turmoil, my mom was still my mom. Even though she wasn't serving us sunshine on a plate in our kitchen every morning she still cared just as much as she always had. I think if I take anything away from what my mom taught me it will be that. Never be afraid to show anyone, but especially your children how much you care. They'll be people who can move mountains if they know you believe in them.

I was sort of surprised to run across the book about a month ago while we were browsing through Target...

And what do you know...right there on page 72 "Special Breakfast" found a little spot in the book. Of course the names are changed and it is a little more "fluffy", but it's our story none the less and that is pretty fun!

Mom, can I just say that I feel like one of the BIGGEST gifts in my life so far is the fact that God allowed me to have you for a mom. Now that I am a mom myself I look back on growing up with so much admiration for you. You were the kind of mom that did. We painted, we garage saled, we pretended, we baked, we ate, we created, we sang, we danced, we laughed, we lived...all because of you mom. You made everyday fun, and we never knew what the next one might hold. It is still hard for me to believe that at my "stage" in life right now you had me outnumbered 3 kids to 1...how did you do it?? We all owe you one great BIG apology for the times we almost (or maybe we actually did) drive you crazy!!

Our childhood was magical, because of you! Now we're all grow up...

and we love you like we love oxygen which goes to show...you did a fabulous job! I don't think a day goes by that I don't think to myself, "Please let me be a success like my mom was..." Thank you is not enough, but thank you. Today is your day and I hope it is a special one. You deserve all the special you can get, because you gave so much of it to all of us for so long. I love you mom, Happy Birthday!! Oh yeah, one more thing, you know all that magic I was talking about? Well, apparently it just carries over when you have a grandchild...

What a lucky little lady!!