A WHOLE BUNCH OF CELEBRATIONS on 9/10

First off, before I start the next post I have to give a HUGE sorry to not posting on people's birthdays. The reasons are for another later post. But I got two phone calls to find out why I hadn't. So, here's to some of my favorite people...HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!


September's a big month for birthdays for my family. ESPECIALLY September 10th! I'll tell you the story of why...

FIRST, comes my mom, Nancy. Born on September 10...




Some things I love about my mom!!!



1. First, now that I'm a mom and see how hard it is, I truly appreciate her birthing 8 children. I truly can't imagine how she did it. I get so frustrated with only 3 and she had 8. How is she not on anti-psychotic meds? I also feel bad that I had taken her for granted for so many years when I was a child and teenager. I was bratty and I frequently remember being really rotten. And yet she loved me so much no matter what.



2. She is one of the most unselfish people I know. I can't believe that she got my dad to surprise me on my birthday this year (California to Arizona) because they knew I'd be spending it alone. And when we all have babies, she's always there to make dinners, take our other kids and COMPLETELY entertain them and help us through the night.



3. She loves my children like her own. She is in love with all her grandchildren and you know it. Some of them actually prefer going to her than anyone else.



4. She has such a funny sense of humor. She is the comic humor at all our cousins' retreats...dressing up in funny costumes and puts on a whole routine. Frequently she would do funny dances at home, and break into song. Sadly, I've CLEARLY inherited this from her, much to my own daughters' dismay...(heheh, they actually think it's really funny, just like I did when I was a kid).



This picture is from Ruth's WHITE TRASH BIRTHDAY PARTY at the bowling alley. I love that she gets all dressed up for stuff like that. hehe



5. She is such a great wife for my dad. She is his best audience (she laughs at everything he says) and makes him feel like a million bucks (except for when he does catering trades).



6. She and I both have a debilitating illness and I can't understand how she gets on with life, almost like nothing is even wrong. I wish people could feel it so they could truly know how she feels on a daily basis. We all take her for granted and don't help out as much as we could and should.



7. She is really talented, even though she doesn't think so. On many occasions I've been so impressed with how well she does flowers, decorates a house (her bookshelves especially were the first time I realized how good she is) and how well she plays the piano. I wish she knew how good she is.



8. She really enjoys having all of her kids around, and loves that we all get along. I think this is her true happiness in life.


9. She's such a great gift giver. Every year on Christmas, she gives all our families sentimental things, like family history books, or artwork books, or pictures of our families. She also makes sure we're all (esp the single ones) taken care of as far as presents go. She hates if any of us feel like we were jipped. hahaha. Silly us.



10. She's very cultured. She's constantly reading classic and artsy books, quoting etiquette from Emily Post and spouting off what the "proper" thing would be to do. Some of our family gets bugged that she feels guilty when we eat off paper and plastic, but I love it! I love how proper she is because it has instilled in me a good sense of propriety and ethics.



11. She's educated. She got her bachelor's degree while she had 3 children (and here I complain about having 3 children) and she is constantly reading and educating herself (even if it is the People magazine).



12. Speaking of People magazine, it's amazing how much she keeps up on all the stars and their lives, and fashion and what's going on in the news. It's pretty funny to be talking about a celebrity and have her pipe in all that's going on.



Gosh, I could go on and on...I could talk about all the things she taught me and all the advice she's given me. I should write it down though for her and give it to her, rather than posting it all on here. I know sometimes people get bored reading too much. But for her sake, I wanted her to know how much I love her and how much she means, not only to me, but to my family and my little girls. They're very much attached to her and have a hard time being away too long.



I love you mom...HAPPY BIRTHDAY....And now on to the next highlight of September 10...