and . . .

happy birthday, Mom!

I bet you can roll over too. :)


In all seriousness, my mom is awesome. I love her, and I'm glad I live close enough to see her so often. She's the person I can never safely sit across from at fancy functions, because just looking at her when someone says something silly will make me start laughing, because I know we're thinking the same thing. Watching my mom live her life has made me sanguine about the prospect of jumping into huge, life-changing events, like becoming a Christian, becoming a wife, becoming a mom, and going to grad school, because I've watched her do all of those things well and fruitfully, and so I know they can be done well and fruitfully. I inherited the way I worry from her, but she also taught me that prayer is the answer to worry. She taught me how to fight fair with my sister, and thus how to fight fair with my husband. She's got good taste and she's generous; every time someone compliments me on my shoes, I tell them, "Yeah, aren't they cool? My mom gave them to me." She showed me how to love people even when you're tired. She was always the first one I went to when I had a problem, but she also taught me that when I got married, my husband would be that person, and when I did get married, and my husband was that person, she didn't have a problem with it. And (I've thought this ever since I was a kid), she has really, really, really pretty hair.


I love you, Mom! Happy birthday!

-Jess