M is for the million things she gave me

It's that time of year again. Today is my mother's birthday. I am not allowed to tell you how old she is, that could result in my immediate death. Which, hey, would get her up to Minnesota but not exactly the best reunion we could have.

She called me earlier, leaving a message for me, singing "Happy Birthday" to herself. Unfortunately Mom is not in Arizona right now so I can't call her. Our communications are mainly through email and instant messenging. Oh, and yeah, I have a blog so she can't complain about not knowing what's going on in my life. It's right there for her to read, which she doesn't. I am so neglected. Sob.

Mom's birthday present (and Christmas present) is a lap-top so that we can communicate better since she does not have computer access in wherever the heck she is right now (Wyoming? I think) and has to rely on the library. Libraries only allow you so much time on their computers but they do use wireless internet so she could surf and email and oh, maybe read my blog while sitting in the air conditioning.

This is the post that I wrote for Mom last year. It has some pretty interesting Mom stories on it. I have not actually seen my mother in close to two years, she was last up here when Josh was born (he will be 2 on October 3rd. Good Lord, they grow fast, don't they) so I am excited that she's going to be here in November and I am going to get her to go to karaoke. It will be fun, Mom. Trust me.

A lot of these links have been read by most of my readers, mainly these are for Mom. But hey, you could always read them again. I would be cool with that.

Story about my exposure to swearing that my Mom featured in.

Story about how Eric (the brother-in-law) fooled Mom through IM.

I am from... (Mom, this is a poem about my growing up. You should read it.)

Five things I miss from my childhood.

The post I wrote for Mother's Day.

Here's another fun Mom story from her last visit. Kari, Mom and I went up to Mahtomedi High School (my alma mater) to play bingo. When we got there, Mom said she didn't think there would be a lot of people since the weather was so bad. We (Kari, myself and the few other people sitting around us) all looked at her dumbfounded.

"What bad weather?" we all wanted to know. "It's pretty nice out.*"

*Disclaimer. November in Minnesota - pretty nice out means there was no snow, it was above 30 degrees and it was only raining a little. It wasn't frozen rain, just kind of cold. Mom should remember this but she's lived in Arizona for quite some time and has fallen into the snow bird mind set. She's not even a snow bird because she doesn't come back for the summer!

My mother rocks. Just so you all know. She raised Kari and I by herself from the time I was 13 and my Dad wasn't all that much help when they were still married. I was reminded of how classy my Mom was the other day, when I saw two factions from a divorce clash, disregarding how they might make their child feel by the comments they were making about one another. My Mom never once said anything bad about my Dad.

She is the proud grandmother of Joshua (I would post pictures but that is verboten by the sister) and respects the fact that she is probably never getting a grandchild from me. She does not acknowledge Eddy as her grandcat but maybe she will someday. Of course, I lose out on that as well because Kari has her other grandcat, Sebastian. Kari is so ahead of me in the good daughter contest.

Mom, you will appreciate this. Kari and Eric were over the other day and the topic came up about the fact that I don't drive. I said I never had a first car and Kari says and I quote "You could have had a car. You chose books." I do not remember being asked if I wanted a car or books. Can we go back in time? I could have my El Camino right now!

Love you very much!

D

Oh, and a story to come, when I get around to it, will be the post about my Mom's chili. Remember this, Mom? Going to Pine City? It will be fun.

Mother - by Howard Johnson

"M" is for the million things she gave me,
"O" means only that she's growing old,
"T" is for the tears she shed to save me,
"H" is for her heart of purest gold;
"E" is for her eyes, with love-light shining,
"R" means right, and right she'll always be,
Put them all together, they spell "MOTHER,"
A word that means the world to me.