My Mom

She is smart, funny, and as stubborn as they come. She can tell a story better than anyone I have ever met and can get small children interested in the most boring of topics with her funny faces.

She has a college degree in Home Economics, which is made all the more ironic by the fact that she hates to cook and clean. She’d rather spend a day outdoors in her flower garden than with a queen in her palace.

She loves politics and although she weighs about 110 pounds, when she talks about political issues, you think she’s capable of taking on the whole world.

She married a colorblind banker from Seattle who wanted to give it all up to become a sign painter in Montana. She was brave enough to let my dad live out his dreams, which taught me that it was OK to live out mine.

She never told me not to drink, smoke, do drugs, or have sex. I do remember her making it clear that I was brilliant, beautiful, and destined for greatness. Somewhere in that mix she made it obvious that I shouldn’t waste my time and sacrifice my destiny for any of the things that might slow me down. And I never did.

She said, “It doesn’t matter what they think.” at least a million times. That one sentence taught me early that other people’s perceptions were not necessarily my goal in life. I was too aim for what was RIGHT, not what was the current wisdom of my latest 13 year old friend.

She is dripping with creativity. She can take nothing and make it something valuable. She has an eye for the artistic side of life and always kept everything looking beautiful.

She knows how to celebrate. Birthdays are her specialty and one cannot go by without notice. She would move heaven and earth to make sure that you feel special on your special day.

She magically took interest in ballet, baton twirling, swimming, volleyball, basketball, softball, jazz dancing, and piano at the exact same time that I had performances, games, and recitals. She never missed one and never broke character of her profound interest in those events.

She put an “almost” well balanced meal on the table every day of my life. I say almost because over the years I clearly saw that she would rather have dessert than vegetables. I think that says a lot about her priorities.

She is not enticed by fame, prestige or power, but she could live with contentment in the presence of her laughing granddaughters for the rest of time. Where I hurry through life, she takes her time, works hard at her tasks, and enjoys the moments.

She has laugh lines from years of smiling and worn hands from years of work. Both of these things are beautiful in my eyes.

There are so many wonderful things about her, but the best part of it all…she’s my mom.

Happy Mother’s Day!