Happy Birthday, Mom!

Today is my mom's birthday. I've pretty much hit the jackpot in the mom department, as much as I've stunk it up in the dad department. My mom is my best friend, my biggest fan, and someone I spend 90% of my time with. She's an amazing woman so I thought I would share some memories I have of her.

Remembering...

• ...the time when she walked into Sports Fan Attic during the holiday season to buy my brother a Michael Vick jersey. The only ones she saw were for the Atlanta Falcons but she knew my brother's favorite team was the San Fransisco 49ers. Confused, she asked a worker if "there was a Michael Vick who played for the 49ers." My brother and I still have not let my mom live this one down, and we constantly tease her about it.
  
• ...the time when the three of us were playing "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth-Grader?" and she was asked the question: "What has a lot of sand, but very little water." Her answer: a sand box. (You can tell she taught preschool for a bajillion years! Also, she's going to kill me for this getting out. Hehe.)
• ...the time when the three of us were walking back to our apartment during the holiday season and saw a bunch of kids acting crazy with shopping carts. We were all annoyed, only to laugh hysterically when my mom burst out with: "I hope they spend Christmas in jail!" This is her best one-liner yet.
• ...the time when the three of us had just moved into a condo, months after she left my dad. She was stressed over the move and dealing with a lot of other issues and my brother could be a bit of a pain. We were sitting down, eating dinner, and I'm not sure what was happening at the time, but I do remember my mom telling my brother, very calmly and patiently, "Mark, get in your room before I say something I regret." Not 5 seconds later, she bursts out, "Mark, get your ass in your room." (My mom does not curse and still gasps when something pops out of my mouth, which makes this all the more funny.)
  
• ...the time when she made the hardest decision of her life: leaving my father. To this day, it's the best decision she ever made. She has done so much in her life since divorcing him, while my dad has continued down a downward spiral.
• ...the time when she received a hand-me-down, but beautiful, bedroom set which included a queen size bed with headboard and two nightstands. Not even thinking of herself, that she had been sleeping on a lumpy, daybed and could definitely use (and deserve!) a new bed, she gave it to me. She kept it as a surprise until I came home on Christmas break from college and I was shocked beyond belief. And she is still sleeping on that lumpy daybed.
• ...the time when she completely changed her life, and managed to lose 80 pounds doing so. She sometimes gets down on herself because she still falls back on old habits and it's not any easier now than it was 3 years ago, but she's managed to keep most of it off, save 10 or so pounds. She's such a different person than she was in 2006 and an inspiration to so many people. (She's also the unofficial Weight Watchers expert at work. I told her she needed to start having meetings & charging her co-workers!)
• ...the time when she decided to change careers. She was burned out from teaching preschool and needed a change. So she took action over her life and did it. She didn't whine about how she hated her job and wanted something new. She did it. While I still think the preschool world lost an angel when she quit, she's doing something she enjoys and is good at.
  
• ...the time when I made the decision to change majors, even though I was 75% with my schooling to become an elementary school teacher. When I made the decision, I was scared about what my mom would say. I knew she would support me, but I also knew I was asking a lot out of her. And when I told her, I received nothing but love and support. She has never made me question my choice of switching majors, but has shown me it was the best decision for me.
• ...the time(s) that she has pushed me, over and over again, to show me that I can do it. She has given me all the love she has in her heart, all the support she has, and all the dedication. Never once have I doubted she loves me. Never once have I doubted she would support me. Never once have I been afraid to talk to her about problems.
  

Happy birthday, Mom! You are amazing and epitomize what a mother should be.