Mother's Day

In honor of Mother's Day here are the top ten things about my mom.

1. She is a top notch curtain hanger. Rods, drapes, ironing said curtains - after all the times I've moved, she is the best at it.

2. She lets me call to vent and complain about things. Sometimes it might border on a whine, but she lets me do it anyway.

3. She and I are addicted to the same author - Jodi Picoult.

4. She always makes my favorite meal when I come home to visit - stuffed shells.

5. Mama never complains or wheedles that I don't come home to visit often enough. She understands that it's hard to get away sometimes given my two jobs and my eventually going back to school. She's disappointed when I say I can't make it for a major holiday (2 Christmases in a row...cough...cough), but she understands.

6. She doesn't pressure me about not being married and not having kids yet - although I think she secretly wishes that one of us would give her a grandchild already.

7. She loves my friends and she's never had an unkind word about any of them or any of my boyfriends either. She is tolerant and open-minded and I love her for that.

8. She is so grounded and well-liked by people. After my parents divorced she still stayed in touch with my Dad's family and they ask about her all the time too. Not in a polite way, but in a genuinely caring about her happiness way. She could have just dropped us off at birthday parties and family dinners, but more often than not she stayed. Many of my dad's siblings even came to her wedding when she got remarried.

9. She's a runner! In her very very early 50s, my mother has become a runner. It's a hard thing to start, but she did it and she loves it.

10. She has shown me nothing but unconditional love and support throughout my life.

Happy Mother's Day Mama - I love you! And Happy Mother's Day to all my mommy friends and moms-to-be out there.