Happy Birthday Mama Joe!

Happy Birthday Mom! I wish we could be closer to share this day together. I could make a million excuses as to why I don't have your card to you on time...but I'm sure you understand having raised three rugrats of your own. Do you remember our contest on your birthday? All your girls would try to see who could get the card to make you cry the most? You know the most sentimental mushy cards we could find? We did because we knew if we got you crying it meant you really liked it and you may have some inkling as to how much you really mean to us. It wasn't because we were fishing for something as you used to say when I tried to butter you and Dad up for something I wanted. You really have no idea how special you are to us.

A daughter can only hope that her mom not only accepts her as the individual and character that God created but will guide her to make the right choices in her life. A mom should teach her daughter never to give up and that when she feels like giving up she can always run to her mom for encouragement or shoulder to cry on no matter how old she is. You always listened to me too. You never judged me on how I felt but you would try to steer my thoughts to what was good in my life and what was really important. You always taught me to be my best, to be fair and kind to others. I remember when I would get catty you would always say, "if that person were here right now would you want them to hear that?". You always reminded me of the golden rule: do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Even when I was struggling in school and had such low self esteem you were there to pep talk me every morning on the way to school. I know you weren't sure if I listened but I did and I thank God you took the time to be there for me.

You always made our birthdays special. Making sure we had the cake we wanted and you let us pick. You always made the yummiest and most beautiful cakes. You let us choose your favorite meals (even though you hated spaghetti and pizza you still let me have that every year for my b-day dinner). And the best-not having to do our chores that night (you know washing or drying the dishes or clearing the table). I know that's little in the scheme of things but somehow with three girls you made each of us feel like we really mattered.

You made time to listen to us. You told us stories of your youth and it made us see you had gone through experiences like we were going through. Even now when I have a hard day with the kids and feel so unimportant and insignificant you have this way of making me beam and feel like I can do anything. That's so huge to me. I hope to be that for each of my kids.

I thank God for you Mom. You are both strong and sensitive. You know when to cry and when to brave through circumstances. And you have taught me through watching you how to brave through adversity. Because of you I won't give up or give in...not without a fight. I love you and I hope you know how much I do. Happy Birthday Mama Joe (that one's from Tanya)!