:. moms .:

"Like all mothers, mine was beautiful."

That is a very memorable quote from a very forgettable memoir I read years ago. It has stuck with me all this time, nicely capturing the feeling most of us have for our moms.

[I realize we live in a sin-cursed world. I realize there are some BAD moms out there - neglectful, abusive, mean, or apathetic. But for the most part, moms are pretty wonderful creatures.]

Moms are generally patient, nurturing and loving. A mom has eyes in the back of her head, knows all, sees all . . . and quickly forgives all. A mom is understanding, sympathetic, a good listener, and has the coziest lap in the world. There is nothing like her. And yes, moms make mistakes, and get tired, and lose their patience, and sometimes even (heaven forbid!) get a little cranky. So what? They're human.

But this blog isn't about moms in general. It's about my mom.

I truly do have a beautiful mom. She is generous, kind and loving. She is funny, warm and an absolute blast to be around. She has had more than her share of heartache, but has always maintained a positive attitude. She finds humor in the everyday things of life. She raised ten children (did you catch that?? TEN!) without a whole lot of help. (And if I do say so myself, we are all pretty awesome adults.) She instilled in us a reverence for God - her source of strength. She is the original SuperWoman.

Today is her 80th birthday, and she is as beautiful and awesome as ever. She works part-time, she drives a sweet little car, she likes to kick back with a beer. She loves a good laugh, and is hilarious herself. She is still the selfless, loving, encouraging mom of my childhood.

Mom, you are AMAZING, and I love you very much. I hope I can be just like you when I'm 80.

:. oh, look, it's a blog post .:

I make no excuses for not blogging more. If you've been paying attention, I've already made my excuses.

For today, simply an observation:

Never give up on anything with roots.

It's true in gardening, true in life.

:. happily ever after .:

monterrey, mexico • july, 1996

Happy Anniversary, Josh and Emily! 14 years . . . wowza! May God grant you the unconditional love that bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things. May you always be aware of the precious gift you've been given, never taking each other for granted. May you stay strong in your devotion to one another, and in your devotion to your Savior. May God give you strength in the hard times, a thankful spirit in the good times, and joy always. May you continue to raise your children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, giving them a secure foundation for their futures. Thank you for the example you have been to so many, modeling the extreme love of Christ for His Church. Wishing you many, many blessings in the years to come!

:. s words for $500 .:

Oh, yikes. It started out as just another Special Day With Grandma. But then poor Liam caught the business end of a sword, and, well, like I said: yikes.
And no, of course it wasn't a real sword. And yes, that is a fat lip. A fat lip and three stitches.
Yikes.

Anyone else care to spend a Special Day With me??

:. phew! .:

My goodness, does life never slow down?!? So much has happened in my little corner of the world lately. Here's the run-down in paragraph form:

my eye surgery went well [no dangling sutures needed!] • so now I no longer see two of everything, and that's wonderful, indeed • but shortly after that, benny and I spent 7 hours in the ER • which ended with him having an appendectomy at 4 a.m. • he then spent 3 days in the hospital trying to bounce back • which unceremoniously began his life on disability • because his Parkinsons just wasn't allowing him to be able to continue working • so now he's trying to figure out what to do with the rest of his life • and I remember that displaced feeling when I was faced with an empty nest all those long years ago • so I know just what he's going through • it's definitely going to be an adjustment after spending the last 40 years of his life going off to work every day, being a 'productive member of society' • but something I learned long ago is that being a 'productive member of society' doesn't always involve receiving a paycheck • so I'm certain he'll soon realize what a treasure it is to be able to spend his time doing things he wants to do • he mentioned, for instance, that he's always wanted to volunteer somewhere • and that would be awesome • and hopefully he'll also get himself back down to his workshop and create some beauty, now that he has the time to work at his own 'park-pace' [I just made that term up. pretty dang good, I'd say] • and speaking of creating, I have recently branched out with my purse business • I am repurposing burlap coffee bean bags into some pretty sweet items • so look for purses, book covers, wallets and etc at Tandem Brick Gallery or your nearest Grounds for Celebration • (did I mention they're pretty sweet?) • and somewhere in the midst of all that, Miss Eisley turned ONE • her mommy and daddy hosted a wonderful garden party in her honor on Mother's Day • and can I just say I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate? (Mother's Day and her birthday?) • And Gavin is finishing up his first year of school • and as always, I'm so very proud of how hard he works at everything • Liam and Taterbug continue to amaze at how stinking funny they are • funny and sweet and thoughtful (yes, I love my boys!) • my garden is a mess, and so far I've planted absolutely nothing • and I probably won't because, well, have you not just read this far and seen how crazy life is right now? • and here's just a sample of my new bags . . . fun, funky and I realized how much I love the smell of jute!

so, thanks for reading.