Ode to my mother.

I love this picture of my mom and me. It has always been one of my favorites. I am not sure how old I am here. I think it was one of my birthdays, or maybe my brothers (as evidenced by the awesome half empty gallon of stain-your-mouth-red punch in the background). I’m pretty sure was taken at the park near the house where I grew up in La Palma, CA. I don’t remember the circumstances when the photo was taken (clearly, I’m getting old), perhaps I was cold or fussy or tired – but the look in my eyes that of a child that is with her momma, safe and warm and going nowhere with anyone else any time soon.

Today is my mother’s birthday. For those of you who know me, you know just how incredibly amazing and fabulous my mother is. I truly am the luckiest little girl to have been blessed with such a mom. Of course she is great for all the reasons that moms are great – she loved and cared for us, she was selfless and giving, she’s smart and funny, she would cut the crust of my sandwiches, she was a career woman AND a great mom, she let me believe that I could sing until about the age of 10 [at which time she sat me down to tell me all the MANY (her words) talents that I had been blessed with, one of which was not singing. And thank God she did, or I may have ended up being one of those girls singing my heart out at an American Idol audition then ugly crying on camera because Simon said that I sucked], she threw me creative birthday parties (one of my favorites involved cabbage patch kids and a fashion show, duh.), she always told me how smart and beautiful and strong I was and that I could do or be anything that I ever wanted (well, with the exception of a singer) as long as I worked hard at it – that’s what moms do. They are awesome.

But more than all that, my mom is especially incredible because she afforded me the opportunities to really become who I am. When things got obviously hard beyond just being a teenager, she (and my dad too) was open minded enough to put me in therapy. When she asked the therapist how she could help me, the therapist suggested that she look at her own life and deal with her issues so she could be a good example for me and that is exactly what she did. She faced the hard stuff, so that I could do the same. And believe me it was hard, we had our ups and downs as every mom and daughter do, but it made each of us stronger. She was not at all perfect, but it was the way she chose to deal with that imperfection that will have a lasting impact on me as her daughter and one day as a mother of my own little ones. She is inspiring, brilliant, brave and beautiful.

Happy Birthday to you, my amazing mother! You had a direct hand in all things that are good about me and I will always be that little girl who needs her momma (lucky you!). Thank you for the example that you are! I am eternally grateful. I love you!

What about you?? Tell me something amazing thing about your mom!!!