Happy Birthday Mama

I’m going to hijack my usual blog post for something a little more personal.  My Mama’s birthday is today! I can’t be there to help her celebrate this milestone – she’s in Texas, I’m in Colorado. But I want to celebrate her and share my admiration and love for her. Because she’s pretty much the best person I’ve ever known, hands down.

My mother quietly taught me a lot about this world. Integrity. Empathy. Kindness. Manners. Love for all people from all walks of life. She’s a good-to-the-core woman. She rarely said no but always set parameters. She put trust in my sisters and me, and we knew to respect that trust. We never crossed the line, we never questioned it. When I told her I wanted to study acting in college she never once thought to tell me that was a crazy idea, or that I should have “something to fall back on.” Instead she attended every play I was ever in, usually more than once, including a few really awful ones (that bird one, yeah, that was awful). When I graduated college and told her I wanted to go live in London for a bit, she helped me pick out a snazzy black suit and made sure I had gas in my car to get me to my summer job that was going to pay for my airfare over the pond. And then she wrote me a letter every single week I was gone (9 months). When I moved to Seattle on a whim after my return from Europe, she visited me and  slept on my fold out couch in my first studio apartment.  Talk about love! She nursed me through a few broken hearts over the years, and knew right away that my Shawn was the one…and then she bought me my wedding gown. And when I became a mother myself, she was there. She walked the floors with my non-sleeping baby boy so I could squeeze in a much needed nap. She never told me how to be a mom, she just showed me, quietly, like she always has.

Mama has supported every dream I have ever had, including this one – my own little business. She is my biggest fan. I hope you’ll leave her a little love wishing her a happy birthday today. She’s pretty spectacular.

Happy birthday Mama! I love you so much, and I thank you for all the love and support you have given me over the years. I can’t wait to see you in a few months time.

Mom with some of her grands – including my two sweet boys, one of whom obviously has his Grammy’s sly smile.

We love you Grammy.