Happy Birthday, Mom!

Tomorrow is my mom's birthday. In my opinion, she is the best mom in the world! Here are just a few examples:

• after working 3-11pm at the hospital (she's a retired nurse), she would get up in the middle of the night to get me a glass of water just because I 'needed' one.
• while working her shift, she would buy me a Three Musketeers Bar from the candy cart and not get mad at me for rummaging through her purse and eating it before breakfast
• when she was dead tired during the day and would try to catch a catnap on the couch, she would never get mad at me when I would crawl up into her lap, pry open her eyes and tell her to wake up...I'm so sorry, Mom!
  
• when I was in 4th grade, she would pull me from my bed, unlocking the death grip I had on my canopy bed, to try to get me to school. Some days it worked, some days it didn't. I hated 4th grade
• she would bribe me into going to school by promising to pick me up for lunch so that I could spend time with her before she left for pm shift at the hospital.
  
• when I was in 6th grade, she gave up her good paying job at the hospital and became our school nurse so that she could have the same schedule as we did (my dad happened to be one of her principals)....my sister, who was in kindergarten at the time, was her very first patient because she threw up in the middle of her kindy class. good times.
• when I was in 8th grade, she went back to college to get her BS in nursing...she drove 45 minutes one way to school with her best friend...and then she would lock herself in her room with a bag of Doritos and study. BUT, she always made time for the three of us kids and our dad
• she would cook us our favorite meals for our birthday dinners (even turkey for Sam in the dead of summer with no air conditioning!) She always made our birthdays special. We always got bakery cake from Frank's Bakery (those from my hometown know what I'm talkin' about....YUM)
• when I was a junior in high school, my mom graduated from West Liberty State College with her BS in nursing. She got her RN from Presby Hospital in Pittsburgh straight out of high school, but my dad encouraged her to go on for her BS and she did it!
• after junior prom, a few of us headed to Kennywood Amusement park in Pittsburgh. She got up early to fry a bunch of chicken and to pack our picnic lunch. As we were loading the car, she yelled, "Make sure each guy gets a breast!" Seriously, Mom! I don't think she'll ever live that moment down! hehe
• she was always there to wipe our tears, kiss our boo boos, put medicine on our cuts, give out plenty of hugs and kisses, and make us feel homey and secure.
• she is my best friend and I'm fortunate to have her in my life

Mommy, I love you. You are the best ever and you deserve the best life has to offer! You may be 70, but in my mind, you'll always be my mommy!
xoxoxoxo