Blessed with the Best

Today is a big day. It’s a celebration. It’s important. It’s my mom’s birthday!!

I don’t want to embarrass her with sharing her age, but I’m going to. Before I do, I’ll explain why.

My mother is the best. Absolute best. She answers all 15 of my phone calls every day (unless she’s in water aerobics). She comes to watch my kids on her one night a week that she didn’t have plans. She’s a fierce friend. She loves all thing creepy, crawly, weird and strange. She challenges me to find kindness and positive energy in all I do. She loves my children to the deepest levels and is constantly showing them how to climb higher, dig deeper, explore more and value love. She is the mother’s hug for my husband. She still puts up with my dad, even after 36 years of marriage. She spreads God’s love in all she does.

She is strong, courageous, compassionate, empathetic, humble, respectful, silly and bold.

She is a servant to others. She gives to her church, community, family and neighbors.

Since her retirement she does three things every day. 1. Move her body, to maintain her health. 2. Read, to maintain her mind. 3. Something for others, to maintain her heart.

She is everything I try to be every day. I am blessed beyond what words can describe to explain the pure greatness she is in my life. I love her a whole big bunch.

Her life experiences, the people she’s loved, the children shes’s taught, the lives she’s changed, have made her the amazing woman she is. This is a process that has taken many years. I’m so proud to share a piece of her with all of you and so excited to be a part of her future adventures, memories and many more years.

So… HAPPY 60TH BIRTHDAY MOM!! I hope your day is as awesome as you!

And just to share a bit of her celebration, my family and sister’s family surprised her at church yesterday to worship as a family. We then took her out to breakfast. Then later this month my parents leave for their first cruise starting in Quebec and ending in Boston. I’m pretty jealous but know they will have a great time!

Mom, I love you every day, and every night, all day and all night, forever and ever.

Leah