67

Happy Birthday Mom!  My mom turns 67 today.  I am pretty sure it's 67, but it might be 68.  I would make a horrible fact checker seeing as it's too much trouble to go find the phone and call her.  Although I am not sure that would do any good as I think my mom's lost count of her age as well.  She wasn't too sure yesterday when I asked her so what can I say, like mother like daughter.

Other than the fact that my mom has dark eyes and hair (although now it's lighter than mine!) I think we look exactly the same.  I know every inch of my face & when I look at her I see the same curves and slopes.  The same nose and arc of my cheeks. 

So I should say something really profound for posterity's sake but instead I'll just go with whatever my fingers type.  My mom is selfless.  She gives all to her kids and now grandkids. 

She gave me my love of thrifting as I don't think there is one thing in her closet or home that was bought new.

She is hardworking and likes to keep busy.  One time while visiting me (before she lived down the street) I came downstairs around 6 am to find my fridge moved and my mom busily cleaning behind it.  She wanted a list of everything she could do during her visit to help me. 

I've called her twice over the years in tears when my home was invaded by ants and we spent all day moving every single dish and piece of furniture to spray.  This past summer when our ants were out of control I was actually just used to it and ate breakfast with my 'friends' crawling up my leg and on the table.  Glenn usually does EVERYTHING himself but last month he called in a professional, and just when I was getting used to them...............

My mom is a great cook.  She thinks I am the pro and is constantly asking my thoughts on things I've never even made!  I guess I take after that too, just believe in your capabilities mom, I am a work in progress myself. 

My mom LOVES chocolate.  Once she was eating brownies first thing in the morning and very seriously she said that it's better so eat sweets earlier in the day rather than later.  Uh huh, great rationale.

She loves doing Geneology.  Her bedroom has been overtaken with binders and notes and boxes.  I make fun of all her stuff but she loves finding out everything there is about everyone in the world we've ever been related to.  The only thing I've gotten out of that is that we're related to Butch Cassidy.  Or the Sundance kid.  One of them.

My mom grew up on a farm.  Her mother, my Grandma Nettie actually went to college and was a teacher before marrying in her 30's and having 6 kids.  I never met my Grandpa as he died in his 50's and left my Grandma and the kids to farm.

My mom is shy, just like I used to be, and Jeannette & I call it our 'hermitage', hermit & heritage combined.  When I am talking about someone in church and my mom has no idea who I am talking about we'll look at each other and say "that's your hermitage mom", because I think she knows 3 people in our ward of 300.  I thought we made up the word (as I often tend to do) but there is no red squiggly line underneath it so I guess it's a real word.  And Jeannette & I thought we were so clever.

I have 2 favorite memories of my mom. - The first is when I worked at a temp job in downtown San Jose.  I was young and irresponsible and was running very late to work and knew I would be even later if I had to find parking.  I asked my mom to take me (because she of course had nothing else to do).  I was in a high rise and when I looked out the window to the crowded streets below I saw to my horror my mom, still in her pajamas and robe, pushing my car to the side of the road in the midst of morning traffic.  I had let the gas get way too low.  My heart broke because of how lame I was and my mom having to pay the price for my stupidity.  It also broke because I knew she'd rather be out there than me.

On a lighter note a few years ago my mom was visiting me near Christmas and we decided to decorate the girls room as a surprise.  We went about stringing lights all around their room, which I thought would be a cinch.  Apparently you need nails and hammers and ladders and complicated stuff like that to do that kind of work, who knew?  It was physical comedy at it's best as it took us all day to hang those darn lights.  At one point the hammer was on top of the ladder and I dropped the nails and when I climbed down to get them the hammer fell right on top of my head.  Instant migraine!!  We were a big ol' mess.  But it was funny.  We laughed so hard at ourselves.

So we look alike and do share some traits, but most of the time my mom just shakes her head at the things I say or do.  If ever we tell her to get with the program she just says "Well, I grew up on a farm", like that explains it all.

More often than not it kinda does.