Mom

This is me with my lovely mom.  It boggles my mind that in this picture, she's just one year older than I am now.  Where would any of us be without our moms?  My mom was always there to encourage me in school and my interests, and always had a shoulder for me to cry on.  Although often playing the role of disciplinarian while my dad traveled for work, she always tried to make sure we had a good time.  She planned fun family vacations for us, whether visiting the beach or following our favorite baseball teams around the country.  There's not a lot of pictures of her while we were growing up since she was the family photographer, but she's always smiling and often laughing in the few pictures we do have.  She put up with a lot from me when I was a teen and in college, but I hope that I've grown up into a young woman that she can be proud of.  I've learned so much from her over the years.

Always say "please" and "thank you," respect your elders, how to tie my shoes, the lyrics to "My Favorite Things" (we would sing this a lot whenever I was having a bad day), how to make a house a home, the importance of family, the benefits of an occasional mental health day, how to bake cookies and cook dinner for our family, responsibility and accountability, never lie, don't take anyone's guff, how to plant flowers (which is, incidentally, what she was doing while waiting for my dad to come home and take her to the hospital so she could have me), be independent, always make time for friends, and live my own life before settling down and starting a family.

To all of you mothers who are constantly teaching, nurturing and encouraging, thank you for all you do.  Happy Mother's Day!