Chin up! It's your day!

September 22nd is a special day.

Some years ago today, my favorite woman in the world was born.

I love you, Iloveyou!, I love you, I love you.

Here are just a few of the reasons why:

You labored through the three of us.



We didn't actually look that cute. It was more like this.



Although not encouraged to, you cooked wonderful dinners for all of us. We frowned, and grumped, and Josh mashed his peas up in the napkin, and Leilani refused to eat the bananas and vomited when made to, and Dad wouldn't eat anything unless it was burned, and I...what did I do? Probably something awful.



You planned the best birthday parties ever. Even before it was cool.



You are beautiful and terribly smart. You somehow managed to attend college while all three of us us were screaming little kids.



You sewed us fabulous clothes. Including my favorite flowergirl dress. And when that got too small for me, I wore my big sister's. I wore it to my birthday party, and school pictures, and when I was older I chopped it up and made a skirt.



You took us to the mountains in Colorado on the train. The best week of my five-year-old life. We stayed in a cabin complete with medieval weapons hanging on the wall next to a mounted bobcat. For an evening of fun, you took pictures of Dad standing over us three, covered in fake blood (ketchup), holding the weapons. We never misbehaved again. Ha.



You love me. Even after everything.



You moved me to Iowa where I met these nutballs.



And where I made this one.



After falling in love with this one.



Who I finally married after three years of dating denial and seven years of living in sin.



And you walked me down the aisle.



And I thank you for everything you are to me. And have been. And will forever be. You are my inspiration, my mentor, my sounding board, my champion. I love you.


We all love you. Happy Birthday!



Love, us