Happy Mother's Day

For my 30th birthday, my mom gave me this photo album among a few other great presents.

This photo album is filled with photos of me from birthday to age 18. She spent a long time compiling these photos and putting this album together. I had no idea she was doing this and one of my favorite memories from my 30th birthday was looking through this album with Mike.

I have a terrible memory, which I think is part of the reason I have always loved photography so much. It takes me back to moments and places that otherwise would have been long lost in my subconscious. This album however did so much more then refresh my recollection of my childhood. It showed me what a great childhood I had - a childhood made absolutely wonderful by my wonderful mom.

Me and my mom- probably one of our first photos together.

You see, my mom is the kind of mom who made my birthday cakes.

My mom is the kind of mom who planned and organized a trip to Disney World when my sister and I were kids.

My mom is the kind of mom who was a Girl Scout Troop leader - but also didn't let her girls slack on their Girl Scout duties just because she was the troop leader.

My mom is the kind of mom who sewed our Halloween costumes.

My mom is the kind of mom who took us to the Detroit Thanksgiving Day parade and then propped us up on a van so we could see better.

My mom is the kind of mom who helped us decorate our wagons and bikes for Elementary school parades.

My mom is the kind of mom who chaperoned school trips to Washington D.C.

My mom is the kind of mom who bought me all the stuffed animal cats in the world and even let me decorate my entire bedroom in cats. (I wanted nothing more than a cat when I was young and she's allergic.)

And even though I couldn't have a cat, my mom nurtured my love of animals. My family had a dog, guinea pigs and bunnies while we were growing up.
My mom also is the kind of mom who when a baby squirrel falls out of its nest, she'll get books from the library and figure out how to raise the baby squirrel herself. My mom, sister and I did this, and we named that squirrel Scampers.

My mom is the kind of mom who came to every school play, every church play, every parade, every award ceremony and every orchestra concert I was in.

My mom is the kind of mom who paid to fix my grandpa's violin, so I could learn how to play it. She also always encouraged me to play despite that it was painful for my entire family for the first few years.

My mom is the kind of mom who planned really great trips all over the U.S. during our summer vacations.

My mom is the kind of mom who took me (and my friends) to Chicago several times in my childhood, which is one of the main reasons I live here now.

My mom is the kind of mom, who even when I am sure money was tight, let my sister and I take dance and gymnastics classes.

My mom is the kind of mom who took us to lunches with Santa when we were young enough to believe.

My mom is the kind of mom who every six months made sure we went to the dentist and took us to the eye doctor just as often.

When my parents got engaged, they were offered by their parents money toward a wedding or money toward a house. My mom is the kind of mom who had a small wedding but invested in her unborn children's future. She and my dad got married and bought the house that I grew up in. They still own that house. It has a great backyard which used to have a great swing-set.

It has always been a real challenge to shop for my mom. Every year, my sister and I try to think of what to get her, but I felt like this year that challenge was even greater. This album showed me that she's given me more than I could possibly ever give to her. She's shaped and molded me in so many wonderful ways. She's given me a lifetime of opportunity and countless amazing memories, all lovingly documented. She's provided an example for what it means to be a great wife and a great mother. So on this Mother's Day I could think of no more appropriate gift than this - a public display telling the world (i.e. my small blog readership), just how wonderful my mother is.

Thank you mom for all you have done and all you continue to do. I love you, so very much.