Yo Momma!

Can I just take a moment of your time to tell you why I'm so wonderful?
I knew you were wondering.
No, really.
It's ok to admit you've been wondering about me.
I wonder about me all the time.
And, the source of all this wonderment is having a birthday!

HAPPY Birthday Maternal Boy Grandma.

I am trying to keep this light because I am premenstrual and really don't need to add additional emotional issues.

I'm making my Mom some Lime-Coconut Cupcakes, that also may be the premenstrual thing.

Dear Mom,

(dangit, I'm crying already) You don't have to correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation in this letter. Consider it my little birthday gift to you.

The other day when you were "helping me" with my sewing project. And, no one is really fooled by the term "helping me" we all know it's a code word for "doing it for me". And, we were laughing, kinda, about my water being shut off (once again, a topic for another post) and you asked me if I appreciated that you can laugh with me, kinda, about life's little tragedies and what would I do without that?

It started me thinking, dangerous ground I know; but, it made me think about all the things a mother and oldest child share. Neither one has ever filled the role before. You had never been a mom, I had never been a kid. But, somehow we helped each other through it.

I love living across the street. I love your sense of humor and your potty mouth when I'm trying to use you as incentive to get my boys to quit swearing. Sorry that despite your best efforts they learned about 50% of those words from me.

Thanks for letting us raid your pantry, and your swimming pool, and your generosity.

Thanks for all the quilts you have made for so many. If a quilt is a comforter and a comforter is symbolic of the holy spirit, then you have brought a little reminder of the spirit into hundreds of lives; but, mostly mine. Everyday.

You taught me to reason and apply real, working time logic to every situation. You taught me that logic will nearly always result in a hearty snort of laughter. There really aren't too many situations that aren't best defined by a good laugh.

You taught me to cook by letting me try and by eating whatever I made, sugary fudge, cakes that got dumped upside down in the back of my car.

You were always there to talk too. That is the lesson I need the most right now with my sons. You taught me to just shut-up and listen to my children. We all long to be really heard, and when we listen to our children we find them listening to us.

Mom, the beating of your heart was the first sound I was conscious of. Everyday I thank God for the beauty of that heart. You are the most beautiful women I know. It's an honor to be your daughter.

Happy Birthday!

Better hurry over and get a cupcake before they are all gone and all you got was a letter you can't don't have to correct.