In our family birthdays are like a national holiday!  My momma and I made sure to roll out the red carpet for one another when our special day came each year.  Even though she is gone I still celebrate her.

The older I get the more I remind myself of my mother.  When I was younger and people would tell me you look like your mom or you act like her I would always say "NO I don't!"  Now when it happens I smile and I'm so thankful I am even half the person she was.

The best way I can describe my momma's personality would be the character "Mama" on Mama's Family played by Vicki Lawrence.  She was a hoot!

She was a great mom.  Not your regular mom.  I was the youngest by 19 years.  The BABY!  The only girl and spoiled rotten.  She thought I hung the moon and to put it plain and simple her world revolved around me.

She taught me the value of integrity, loyalty, kindness, hardwork and learning to laugh at myself.  She encouraged me and built up my self-confidence.

Some of the best memories of my mom came when it was just the two of us.  She was my best friend.  I literally told her EVERYTHING!  She gave me advice and sometimes she didn't like what she heard but she always listened and guided me the best she could.  I find myself doing the very same thing with my older boys now.

I remember each year on our birthdays we would take off work, hop in the car and go!  We would eat, shop, laugh, cry, dance, and just enjoy our time together.  Thinking back I soaked in every single moment of time on those days.  I knew one day I wouldn't have them.  Today it hits me pretty hard.  My momma has celebrated 10 special birthddays in heaven.  I miss her like crazy.  Not just our talks or laughs, but I miss how she used to grab my hand in the car when I was driving and just hold it.  I still remember how it felt and how she always made me feel.  When the day was done and I would drop her off at home she would always say the same thing "Do you know how special you are to me?  How much joy you bring to my life?  What a good daughter you are?"   I would always say "Yes Momma I do."  Not realizing the effect it would have on the rest of my time hear on earth.

In my darkest, toughest, most awful times I have remembered her words.  I do the same things with my own children.  While I joke about how crazy and rotten they are I lift them daily.  And of course with Charlotte I make sure the let her know how smart, kind, and beautiful she is often (ok like 10 times a day).  This world is a cruel place, we all need to lift and love on one another a bit more!

Today I will celebrate momma with my family.  I will laugh out loud, I will dance like no one is watching, I will watch Mama's Family and I will enjoy life.  It goes fast.  If you have your parents please love them.  Make time for them.  Keep traditions.  When they are gone you will have memories to hold on to and it will carry you.

HAPPY 77th BIRTHDAY MOMMA!  I know Heaven is celebrating big.  Yard Sales with good deals, Laughter, Dancing, Lots of Love, and CAKE!  I SURE MISS YOU~

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