Happy Birthday to my Mama!

Where do I even begin about my mother? How about the fact that she is one of the most hardworking people I know, or the fact that she is beautiful, or the fact that she is so kind and loving, or maybe that she makes the best food??

Honestly, there are a million things about my mom that make me feel like I have the absolute best mom in the world (I know, most people think that about their own mom). I swear, moms just know everything about everything, and mine is no exception. I still call her from time to time and ask questions about cooking a recipe of hers or if that "dry clean only" label is really legit and if I can, in fact, wash it in the washer. Whenever I'm stressed about something or homesick I know I can call her and instantly feel better just by talking to her. She has such a way of calming me, reminding me that yes, I can in fact do whatever it is I need to do, and that everything will be ok. It's like Mama Magic. And I'm not joking about that hardworking part. She had those kinds of jobs as a kid that would make any of us cringe... like picking strawberries all day in the hot sun or working at a cannery (yuck!). She paid her way through college and didn't get into nursing school the first time around, so she took a year off and worked. She stuck with it and got into OHSU's nursing program the next time around. It's an inspiration to me because, sometimes you don't get what you want the first time around - you have to work really hard for what you want (and that it's ok to do things at your own pace, like me not going to grad school for a few years). My dear mother even went on Outward Bound! It's this thing you can do (I believe she was in high school) where they give you some training and then you basically live in the wild for like, 2 weeks and all you have are a few tools and a tarp. Yeah, my mom is a beast. She's been a nurse for over 30 years and is fantastic at her job, sometimes working a bunch of 12 hour shifts. Even when she was working when we were little, she always seemed to have time for us and had dinner on the table. She's incredible, and sometimes I feel like I'll never be a mom like her. Her and my dad have given us absolutely everything my sister and I could have ever wanted and always encouraged us to do whatever we wanted to do. I only hope I can be half the mom she is to my kids!

So here's to you Mama! I love you!