10 Things I Heart About You

A few days ago, my mom celebrated her birthday.  It was a milestone one, but I'll preserve her privacy and not share the number.

My mom and I are best friends.  We have a precious relationship that has evolved over the years.  When I needed to be mothered, I was mothered.  She didn't play the "cool mom".  Now that I am (reasonably) grown and have kids of my own, we enjoy a closeness and friendship that I treasure so much.

This blog installment is dedicated to the first ten things I could think of that are cool about my mom.  Not the only things, not the most important ones, just the first ones that jump to mind.  Please consider devoting a post to the same on your own blog.

Ready?

1. She graduated from university with a Bachelors degress in Business Administration.  In 1966.  (Stop doing the math; I'm not going to tell you how old she is!)  If you don't think that's a cool factoid, consider this:  she was one of only two women in her graduating class, and no, she wasn't the one the boys considered the "friendly" one.
2. She and my dad are the model of respect and devotion, and will celebrate FORTY years of marriage in a couple of months.
3. She used to take my sister and I to feminist rallies when we were really really little.  At the time, I didn't understand why I had a button that said, "Why not?", but I still thought it was pretty cool to wear it.
4. She and my dad made the education of us kids a top priority.  When I graduated from uni in 1996, I had negligible student loans, despite the fact that it took me three years to gain admission into my program of choice.
5. When hub and I decided we didn't want a big family wedding, she and my dad not only supported the decision for us to go away and get married, they wrote a ridiculously generous cheque to ensure it would happen.
6. Mary has more than once been the Thelma to my Louise (or the other way around - she can be the pretty, as long as I can be the one who knocks boots with Brad Pitt).  The Maine-NB border patrol had a bit to say about the great shopping debacle of 1994!
7. She displays a warmth and generosity with my daughters that cannot even be described.
8. She is as obsessed as I am and thinks nothing of traveling hours for knitting workshops and the like.  I must admit, I feel pretty proud to be a part of "that mother and daughter" when we're in classes together!
9. She loves pepperoni pizza, cold beers and NCAA basketball, preferably in combination.
10. In my early twenties, she asked begged permitted me to start calling her "Mary", since she was tired of being one of a zillion women to answer to the call of "MOM!" at the mall

Happy belated birthday, Mar.  We love you!

PS - Son in-law says she makes the best bumbleberry pie on the planet.  I told him he's still not getting one.

Comments

[Glynda Black]

It's so wonderful to hear of a mother-daughter relationship that really works. Thanks for posting this loving tribute to your mom!

[laurie]

What a beautiful tribute to your Mom Deb!!!

[jackie]

happy birthday, mary! many more healthy, happy ones. thanks for being a great role model to all of us moms who have daughters!

[Amy]

What a wonderful woman you've written about here... and what a wonderful daughter you are to write it. Happy Birthday, M! :) :)