Happy Mother's Day Mom

Mom gently and consistently taught us to be kind, respectful and polite. She never lost her patience –I swear I don’t know how she made it through some days. When other kids were mean and spiteful her favorite saying was “what goes around, comes around.” I didn’t really appreciate this concept until I got older and witnessed karma in action. When I was in second grade I got suspended for fighting and throwing another little girls shoes on the school roof. The other girl received no punishment because her mom was president of the P.T.A. My mom thought this was completely unjust and never said a harsh word to me about the fight. My mom has always had my back. When my sister and I were little we were never allowed to say the word “pregnant.” She said it was more polite to say a woman was “expecting.” Same with the word “butt.” We would say “that kid fell right on her bottom” and thought for years that “butt” was a cuss word. Mom told my sister and I not to say “I hate you,” when Chris and I used to scrap over stupid stuff. Our mom made sure my sister and I always had clean, mended clothes, especially underwear and tennis shoes and never holes in our pants. She keeps a wonderfully sunny and clean house and growing up we were never embarrassed to have friends over. Her garden flowers grow twice as tall as mine and her hanging baskets always overflow with blooms. Mom is an accomplished cook, always trying

new recipes. I often think how lucky we were to always have home cooked meals, fresh garden salads and snacks waiting for us when we’d get home from school. When our dad worked 24 hours on and 24 hours off as a fireman, and it was just us girls, mom would let my sister and I eat our favorite Mac n’ Cheese for dinner on TV trays. When it started to be “uncool” for our mom to drop us off at school, the roller rink or the pool, mom made sure to stop well away from the front door and let us out. We never went without though I know my folks went through some difficult times. Mom supported our dad as he indulged in his hobbies toting the family off to the desert week after week for dune buggy and motorcycle races. She would sweep the tent without complaint, of sand, lizards and snakes even though she hated all three. She never complained as our Dad moved his young family from sunny, warm Southern California, North, to the wilds of Alaska. She’d hook the fattest salmon even though she’s fearful of boats and being on the water. My mom welcomed being a grandma and always had the cutest sippy cups,

yummy snacks and baby accessories on hand at their house. She was the on-call baby sitter no matter what the time or short notice. Mom is a talented ceramicist and floral arranger. She’s retired from a career with (Sohio) BP and admiring coworkers even named a huge semi-truck after her, the “Ginny B,” on the North Slope. She is a volunteer with the Red Cross and giving of her time for a worthy cause. My mom could easily be a pro bowler. Gus can’t wait to challenge her at Wii Bowling when they come up this week for Kristen’s graduation. It will be good timing too because I can give her the Mother’s Day card I sent LAST MONDAY that got returned to me in yesterday’s mail for not enough postage on it… Happy Mother’s Day Mom! You are truly the best and I’m thankful for everything you have taught and instilled in me as a daughter, a sister, a wife, a woman and a MOM. I love you Mom.