Hey Mom…

For cinnamon toast and cut up popsicles when I was sick…

For dying the milk green on St. Patrick’s Day and pink on Valentine’s Day….

For always taking over making the cookies when I’d get bored half way through and leave the batter in the mixer….

For making me practice piano for 15 minutes every morning before school…

For always answering the phone when I call you on the way home from work, even when you have work to do….

For providing us with a sit down dinner all the way through high school whenever we were home…

For turning over driving instructions to Dad…

For learning how to make black bean burritos and numerous other meat free recipes for the 8 months I decided to be a vegetarian…

For learning all my friend’s names and remembering details of their lives….

For being a role model for a stable and supportive marriage…

For attending every basketball & football game I cheered for, even though I know you could care less about either sport….

For not picking me up from summer camp when I called to tell you how homesick I was…

Or college…

Or Spain…

For coming up to my room with hot cocoa on cold mornings in high school…..

For never once saying “I’m disappointed in you”….

For letting me wear whatever I wanted, even during the “thrift store” stage….

For teaching me how to make beef stew, roast chicken, corned beef & cabbage, perfect corn on the cob, Christmas cookies, spicy shrimp, flank steak, mint brownies and countless other dishes….

For buying me that blue dress with the twirly-skirt from JC Penny’s in 4th grade…

For being the perfect amount of strict during high school…

For never blowing off my heartbreaks whether it was not making varsity cheerleading my first try or getting dumped or not getting a sorority bid…

For teaching me how to separate the lights and darks, sew a button and fold a fitted sheet…

For learning how to french braid for dance recitals…

For always having Pontillo’s in the warming drawer and doing pick up duty from Thirsty’s whenever we come home…

For unwavering faith in my ability to catch a fly ball in right field, host Christmas dinner, make honor roll or write a book…

For being a friend…

Thank you, Mom.  Just in case I forgot to say it when you needed to hear it, thank you.  I love you.