Happy Birthday Mom

Today is my Mom’s birthday. She should have been 60 today.

I had a few things planned to do in her honor today, but Little Miss is one sick little farkle, so they will have to wait. I will however make brownies tonight WITH nuts and WITHOUT powdered sugar on top because according to Mom that is the ONLY way to make brownies. Then, I will eat some in her honor.

It is a hard and emotional day for many reasons. And I’ve been missing my Mom fiercely lately. There are so many things that I wish I could tell her now, and so many things I wish I could talk to her about.

But today should be a day of celebrating her… So I will.

I will celebrate her term, “Male Dominant Stupid Gene.”

I will celebrate her teaching me to ‘Just tell ‘em to F— off!

I will celebrate her love of The River Boat–even if she lost more money there than she ever came out with.

I will celebrate her love of football and Da Bears and Da Steelers.

I will celebrate her kicking butt in every game of trivial pursuit she ever played

I will celebrate her marathon Scrabble Games with her best friend Sarah.

I will celebrate her love of baking.

I will celebrate her dedicated hard work at Maytag for many, many years.

I will celebrate her insistence that I loosen up.

I will celebrate her ‘So NOT Martha Stewart’ femininity.

I will celebrate her appreciation for equality of the sexes.

I will celebrate her love of West Wing.

I will celebrate her love of the Democratic Party.

I will celebrate her appreciation of finely built men.

I will celebrate her love of Gary Fencik (such a finely built man).

And I will also celebrate her love of Dad (another such fine guy).

I will celebrate the many death threats she issued my husband if he ever dared hurt me–especially the way she allegedly made him turn blue with terror when he asked if he could marry me.

I will celebrate the way she truly loved him as a son-in-law, anyway… Strike that–as a son.

I will celebrate her courageous battle with Lung Cancer and the fact that though she isn’t here with us now, I know that she won. It might have taken her body, but her spirit–the very essence of her–still IS, and still SHINES.

I will celebrate the amazing love that existed between her and my Daddy–the love that taught me that a real marriage is one in which you know that you are cherished and respected and to not settle for anything less than that.

I will celebrate the joy in her voice when I told her that Little Miss would be born–and the giddy way that she carried herself for weeks.

I will celebrate the awe in her eyes when she first laid eyes on her… And the joy and the gift that she counted it to be a grandmother.

I will celebrate the amazing mother that she was to me, and in turn taught me to be–pouring into me strength, courage, perseverance, and even a little bit of her grit all tempered with humor, compassion, and a great deal of love.

All these things and more I will celebrate.

I love you Mom. Happy Birthday.