Happy Birthday Mom!

June 5, 2008! I dedicate my post this morning to my mom, Judy, who will celebrate her 65th birthday today. Happy Birthday Mom!!!  Some of you reading this don't know her at all.... some of you know her a little bit and others know her well but I am the only girl in the world who is lucky enough to have her as my mother! Mom, I am blessed to be your daughter and I love you so much. I hope you know that. I know I am not always very good about saying it. You are a treasure and I wouldn't trade you for anything.

One of my favorite and earliest memories of you was this.  I was little......... maybe 3 or 4, (in the days before carseats), and I used to ride in your lap in the passenger's seat. Do you remember? We would be chest to chest and you'd rub my back and play with my hair while I looked out the window. I recall being sleepy, gazing at the stars and feeling so safe and loved wrapped up in your arms. 

Mom, you have always done such an amazing job of taking care of us. Now that I am a mother, I can more fully appreciate the daily sacrifices that you made on our behalf. A nice clean house with awesome family meals each night, cool 'with it' clothes (ironed always!), bedrooms that we could be proud to bring our friends into.....and a million other things.....all of which I know I took for granted until I had to start doing it for my own kids. Now I realize what a whole lot of work it is! I know I'm about 36 years late on this but 'thank you' for all of it. Thank you also, for teaching me the 'little' importances in life like not wearing navy with black, the horror of shiny white nylons, making sure you always have clean breath and serving condiments in cute dishes instead of the big plastic bottles they come in! 

I have also always loved the way you take such special care to cater to each of us kids' and grandkids' likes and dislikes. I remember when Tom and I were dating and how you'd always try to have peanut M&M's in that little basket on the counter, simply because you knew how much he liked them. I notice how you always make sure to have everyone's favorite kind of soda in your fridge and favorite snacks in your cupboard; how when I broke my wrist, you showed up at my house with new jammies for me; how my honeymoon suitcase mysteriously ended up with new beach towels and perfume inside it; how you cleaned my whole house after Kellen was born so I wouldn't have to do it myself . You have a thoughtful, caring nature and I so admire it. Thank you for giving so much of yourself for me and for always thinking of new ways to make me feel special!

I hope that your 65th birthday is full of fun, laughter and great shopping!!!! I'll see you at lunch!

I love you Mom......

Colleen