Happy Birthday Ma!

This post is mostly for family, so beware of its long winded nature.

Actually, my mom doesn't even read this blog (or any other for that matter) Not because she doesn't want to, but because her computer skills peaked in the 80's, so she's pretty worthless at using the internet. It still kind of blows my mind that it's all still so confusing to her, but i suppose that is just part of what makes her adorable.

Bear with me while I share a few memories here about my sweet mother who is one year wiser on this day in September:

-First, i must point out how obvious it is from this picture, my mom's playfulness with my kids. She is  genuine in her interest in kid board games or a slow quad rides, a silly song, or some other game with my kids that I'd rather punch myself in the face than play one more time.

-As for memories, Sheamus and i were exchanging stories today (i told true ones from when i was little, then he shared ones from when he was 11 and could use his spidey strings to jump up to heaven?) One that I told was in about 5th grade when my friend and i thought it would be funny to hide in the back of the car while my mom ran errands. About half way through, and i'm pretty sure while on the road, we snuck up from the back of our Astro van and scared the bejeezus out of her. We thought it was SO hilarious, but I'm pretty sure she was mad, and rightfully so. Not only did she not escape for some precious time to herself, but we had freaked her out while she was operating a 2 ton death machine. I HATE being startled...like, i want to round house kick the person in the face cause i hate them so much for the first few minutes.  This makes me a bad sport when someone scares me for laughs.  I got my jumpiness from my mom. So the moral of the story is how much I appreciate her composure when i probably would have impulsively driven us all to our death, by choice.

-She was never very strict. She gave us opportunities to prove that we could be trustworthy and make good choices. I know its probably cause i was such an angelic child ;) but still, it was awesome.

-She was very good about signing us up for all sorts of things to try growing up. T-ball, gymnastics, choir, plays, softball, talent shows, soccer, clogging, karate, brownies, cheerleading, clarinet, sign language...you name it, she always encouraged to try it all and never forced us to do them, or only ones she thought were best (like how i cringe when Elyott tells me she wants to play the flute). We might have always been the last kid waiting in the parking lot until dark, or the annoying one who always needed a ride from the coach, BUT she was always willing and good about getting us signed up. I cherish all the opportunities she made happen as a kid even if we didn't have much money to spare. Now that i have my own i realize how hard it is to remember and coordinate, but that never stopped her. And what did she get? freaking talented children, that's what :) Thanks ma!

-I love how she always laughs so freely (not to mention her beautiful smile). Sometimes i feel like a stone wall. It's not that i'm not laughing inside, its just i cant get my face to give in to the feeling. Thats why i don't usually buy it when people say LOL. But I like to give them the benefit of the doubt and assume its more like a QIC (quiet inside chuckle) or something. (I do believe when my sister Lisa writes it though, she got her laughter from my dear mother. She not only types LOL but she'll add about 15 exclamation marks and i believe every one.) Wait who are we talking about again??...Oh ya, mom! Oh how i wish she had passed this trait to me instead of the giant feet. Actually my dad's feet are crazy too. i was pretty much doomed.

My mom has always been affectionate in every way. I remember her letting us rock with her on our maroon rocking chair, even when we were too big to sit on her lap. She is understanding and supportive, generous and sentimental and so many things I hope to be to my kids. Thanks ma for being so motherlicious. Happy Birthday! I love you forever!

team boo ♥'s you

(and her mom)