My Mom is 55 today!

I really lucked out in the Mom department, you guys. I’m short and have no rhythm, so I didn’t get everything: but I did get a woman who is kind and smart and beautiful to be my Mother. Today she is 55, and we’re celebrating by going for pedicures, eating Thai food and rocking out. For reference, rocking out means probably eating as a family and then debating something political or medical. It’s how we do. My Dad will probably fall asleep on the couch, someone will make coffee and someone will pour more wine, and we will talk and laugh and discuss until it’s late and the non-narcoleptics (so, not my Dad) will get sleepy. My Mom is (mostly) to thank for her kids love of reading, ability to clean a bathroom properly, and tough attitudes in the face of challenge. She’s also my best friend. I dug out some pictures of her and us to commemorate her day of birth and her importance to me. YAY!

My Mom was 20 when I was born, which seems crazy to me now. Apparently when I was born she would sit and stare at me for hours and hours: I was her first baby and she was enthralled. I know I was a surprise, but have never doubted that I am loved.

Here’s a family picture just after my brother Tyler was born. How stylish is her black and white striped sweater and red skirt, right? I’d wear that now!

Here we are at my Dad’s police graduation. See my swing coat? I wish I could find that in adult sizes! Mom was in a perm faze, I think everyone had that at some point in the 80s.

not my mom, just a picture I found on the internet.

My Mom went back to school when I was 10. My brothers were 8 and 5 and my sister was 2. She started with night classes, and soon was up to full-time, then full-time plus a full-time job. My Dad worked more than full time for himself the whole time It was a tough few years for all of us, but it taught me that I could do anything if I worked at it hard enough because I saw her do something incredible. When I went back to school and my classmates would complain to me about how stressed they were, I would secretly smile, because they (and I) had no idea.

Mom, Layne and I in Mexico a few years back. My parents brought us to Mexico for Christmas after my brother Tyler was killed because Christmas was sad and Mexico is far. It was fun!