mama dearest

today is my mom’s birthday.

she is cruising around alaska with my dad and a bunch of other couples, so since i can’t talk to her directly on her big day, i got to thinking about what i would have said to her had we been in the same state at the same dinner table raising our wine glasses in a toast to the lady that raised our family so successfully.

first, i would have sang to her. incredibly pitchy and off-key and horrible sounding. but with the best intentions.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR MOM.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU.

then, i would have apologized.

after that, i would have told her thank you. thanks for being there on days when i needed her. thanks for being there on days when i all i wanted to be was alone. thanks for not being there so i was forced to learn and grow on my own. thanks for pushing me to be better. thanks for allowing me to fail. thanks for putting up with my teenage anger. thanks for being my role model. thanks for laughing with me. thanks for yelling at me. thanks for her respect. thanks for listening to my opinion. thanks for asking for it. thanks for knowing when to call, when to write, when to visit. thanks for opening her wallet. thanks for supporting my dreams. thanks for letting me sleep in. thanks for cooking even though it was the last thing she felt like doing. thanks for being my drinking buddy (once i turned 21). thanks for her understanding. thanks for her intelligence. thanks for passing along her blonde hair and blue eyes. thanks for teaching me how to read. thanks for complimenting me. thanks for sticking around. thanks for putting up with me. thanks for loving me always even if she didn’t always like me at the moment. thanks for teaching me. thanks for learning with me. thanks for being in my corner. thanks for making me roll my eyes at her. thanks for making me want to hug her. thanks for encouraging my individuality with words in a family of numbers. thanks for making me go it on my own. thanks for letting me come home. thanks for being proud of me and informing me of such. thanks for being my friend. thanks for being my mom.

then, i’d go into the kitchen and do the dishes because no birthday girl is supposed to do that.

happy day, mom. cheers to a fabulous year and the start of an even better one.