Don’t run for your calendar. It’s not Mother’s Day. FYI – if you DID check your calendar, you are WAY late on those Mom accolades. 🙂
My mother’s birthday is this next Tuesday, the 16th. She will be 89 years young. And I would like to honor her with a few words. Especially this year, since we just had a medical scare with her that, well, to be blunt, scared the crud out of all of us “kids”. However, I’m glad to be able to report the scare has passed and she is once again back in her own home, driving, and being the independent person myself and my 4 siblings have tried to model ourselves after.
My mother was born to a father who worked in sawmills and a mother who worked as a telephone operator. Post high school, she started some business courses, but soon found full time employment. One of the things she did for fun was roller skating. It’s funny because that’s also something I loved to do. I even managed to instill that fondness for skating in one of my daughters. Three generations of women skated at the same roller rink—until they tore it down and put up a car lot. Sigh.
Mom worked full time while raising us kids. There are five of us. Dad worked, too, and we didn’t see him much. So I consider Mom to be the biggest influence in my life. She taught me…
- Right from wrong.
- That helping was better than selfishness.
- That making mistakes is part of life and we must both learn from them, as well as right the wrongs when we can and apologize.
- That family is everything.
- That laughter pushes the hurts away.
- That humble feels better than bragging.
- And probably the biggest lesson I ever learned from her, was that it was okay to be my own flawed self. That I am loved no matter what. 🙂
So, after a month of excessive worry over her illness, and blessed relief as she rallied and returned to good health, I, along with my two sisters and two brothers, celebrate our mother. My brother said it best when he told the hospital doctor that our mother is “exceptionally amazing”.
She is the best of the best.
Happy early birthday, Mom!
Love,
Laurie
69nancy
Faye Avalon
Jane Smith
Kit Domino
Laurie Ryan
Lavada Dee
marietuhart
Author
Tricia Jones
Theresa Scott
Valerie J. Patterson
Over The Backyard Fence 
What a Wonderful post Laurie. Thank you for sharing this milepost year with us. I’m looking forward to lunch and meeting your mother in person.
Thanks, Lavada. She’s, well, just everything to us, you know?
Lovely post and a very touching tribute to your mother, Laurie. So pleased that she is doing so well after her medical scare.
Us, too, Tricia. She really is amazing. 🙂
Awesome tribute! LOVE the picture, too. What a cool mom and I love roller skating, too. Enjoy the celebration with her!
We already are. We’re all prepped and now will relax and enjoy the company this weekend. Thanks!
super!!
What a beautiful story and tribute to your Mom! It was such a touching read. May she have continued good health and many more birthdays to come!
Thank you, Jamie. And thanks for stopping by and the good wishes, too.
I’m certain she is very, very proud of the woman you became, but even more proud of the mother you are!! I’m glad she’s recovered and is back at home and to her activities. Celebrate with joy and thanksgiving, Laurie. Happy Birthday to your Mom, too!! 😛
Thank you, Valerie. We’re on the flip side of her birthday as I write this response. I haven’t been in the ‘net much these past few days. But it’s been fun times, both busy and relaxing, you know?
Lovely post and a wonderful tribute. Hope your mum had a lovely birthday.:)
Mom got six days of birthday celebration…and the five of us siblings all in the same place for a good portion of that time. That hasn’t happened for several years. So definitely good times. 🙂