Happy 35th MOM!

I once heard somewhere (perhaps a morning radio show) that really we don’t have anything to celebrate on our “birthdays”. I mean really what are we celebrating, what did we do? Shouldn’t our “birthday” be a celebration of what mom went through to get us here?

Having said that I want to congratulate my mom because it is her 35th anniversary. 35 years ago today my mom went through the pain of bringing me into the world and she hasn’t stopped taking care of me since that day.

I could probably think really hard and remember some details of her anniversaries past where she fixed me a nice meal or baked me a cake but my memory of more recent years serve a little better. (I won’t say how many I have had, this isn’t about me.)

I recall one particular anniversary where she tried to pass on the credit to me by coming to my apartment and surprising me. I remember it very well because she surprised me by being there and she was making fresh bread. Not only did she spend her anniversary making me bread but she was also making me dinner. She had pre-measured some seasonings but had made the mistake of putting the chicken seasoning (which included cayenne) in the bread. While the bread was still delicious she had to send me to the store to buy some more cayenne. I know she felt bad but I was happy to do it for her because it was after all her anniversary.

As if that wasn’t enough I soon received one of the biggest surprises of my life. She had also bought me a bed! This is a purchase I was planning on making. We had been shopping and I had been debating what I wanted and what I had to spend. I had decided to go a little conservative on what I wanted but my mom went all out and got me the best. For months I wished I could lay in that bed forever, I loved its comfort and I loved her sacrifice in getting it for me.

I could go on about all the things my mom has done for me over time like the pillow cases she surprises me with or the walls she painted in my house or the many skirts she has made me and even some very nice curtains, but this is about anniversaries and I have one more memory to mention because it took a lot of thought. About 5 months ago I came home to this sign in my yard. At first I was confused, but then I called my mom and asked her if she knew anything about it. Sure enough she had gotten me a “birthday” present. She had hired someone to get my lawn looking better and it required spring weed killer then fall grass seeding. My lawn was in desperate need of this help and so there you have it, my mom was thinking about her 35th anniversary that far in advance. That is how important it is to her.

Here are some before and after shots. Now don’t think I don’t find “my birthday” as a great accomplishment, after all, a body is pretty valuable, but if it hadn’t been for my mom, and my dad I must add (his influence and support for all that is good and right is equal to my mom’s), I wouldn’t have even gotten that. So, on this 35th anniversary of my “birthday I just have to give a shout out to how great my mom is.

Happy 35th Mom! Thanks for all the hard work and sacrifice to make me feel like I am special on your day!