Oh Mom, it’s that time again. It’s your birthday and here we are to celebrate another year of your wonderful life. I am holding my coffee cup into the air and saying “cheers” with the exuberance of a five year old. Speaking of which, remember when I used to wake you up at the crack of dawn to tell you that “the sun was coming!” Sorry about that… I’m not going to lie, I never get my card out to you on time, you must have taught me how to procrastinate or something (seriously, your card is coming, I’m sorry!) but beyond that today is your day! Soak it up, it only comes once a year.

Hey Mom, you were right… about a lot of things, truth be told, almost everything. I remember a lot of things that you taught me: like how to pray at night, the importance of saying “I love you,” to put others first, that it’s okay to reheat old coffee, and that ironing is the worst chore ever. I remember countless times when I would complain to you and you would tell me that “someday I would get it.” I wasn’t sure what this infamous “it” was but you were right. First and foremost, I am sorry I never became a nurse. I mean, seriously, it was in my bloodline to do it (and continue the generational job line) but let’s be honest, it comes in handy having a photographer in the family… at least we have nice Christmas card photos now? Right? You would have supported me if I would have told you I wanted to study centipedes or if I thought that I should be a backpacker. Thank you for letting me do crazy things: like the time you let me join 4H for a year and show my larger than life rabbit at the county fair – thank you for then telling me I deserved a blue ribbon, not a red. (We all know I deserved that red – unless of course it was a sumo bunny competition, then I for sure would have won!)

When I think of you, I smile, then I laugh because I think about that one time in Mexico when you were doing water aerobics in the pool and dad told you that you were going to get sunburn on your gums from smiling so much. It’s true, you smile all the time and it’s contagious. When I describe you to people who haven’t had the honor of knowing you, I tell them you are like Mother Teresa. Truth be told, you really are. You are one of the most selfless, kind humans that has ever graced this little planet… I mean seriously, I’ve never had someone ask if I wanted a foot rub more than you, you were born to serve. Not many people can say their mom is a “wish granter” like you, your involvement in things like the Make a Wish foundation, your church singing group, nursing home frequenter, among the million other things you do makes us all think we can do something more in this time we have. Sometimes we drive each other crazy (this is rare) but it’s because we love so fiercely. There truly is no closer relationship on earth, I am, quite literally, you. Thank you for keeping me company on my way to the gym everyday and for asking how I am doing and wholeheartedly desiring to hear the answer. Thank you for letting me cry when I need it and for keeping me grounded through this life. Sometimes I hate hearing your advice, because at the end of the day I know that you in fact are right.

You’ve given us a kids some lofty shoes to fill… seriously, I could try with all my might as long as I live to fill them. We all could. Your belief that we could do anything we set our minds to is proof that you are our biggest fan (that along with the countless hours spent on bleachers cheering for us in our various sports!) Some days I think life might be easier if I didn’t have such a lofty legacy to fulfill but we all know that none of us would ever settle for mediocrity, that’s way too boring. In fact, you taught us to run away from the norm and not look back. You’ve taught us that we were meant to do great things and so we all are. It would be lame if we were all the same, I now see that clearer than ever, so thank you for letting us chase our dreams wherever they took them. (Ahem, like that one time I told you I was quitting my corporate job to be a photographer and wear yoga pants all day.)

I stumbled upon this and knew it was meant for us: “The celebration loop looks like this: when we celebrate where we came from, we are more able to celebrate who and where we are in life, which opens us up to celebrate others, which provides the space to be of greater service in the world. It’s a beautiful cycle that creates unity among women and I believe that it’s the medicine the world needs most.” So today I am celebrating the woman you are, here’s to another year of your beautiful life. I love you mom, I am the luckiest.

Holy cow, don’t think about leaving. There’s tons of awesome below:

• Let’s Rock the Vote
• 10 Things I Know to be True
• The Email That Made Me Cry
• Costa Rica – The Pura Vida Life