april, do better--especially on mom's birthday

Please. Do better. 

This is a phrase of Kirsten's and it's so appropriate for tonight.

Jay plugged in the Christmas lights again for a joke.

 Good thing we swept the patio and got the furniture out, eh?

But this crazy day is also my mother's birthday.

Here's a picture of the two of us, taken some time ago.

And here's a picture from not so long ago--her helping me babysit, cuddling her great-grandson while her grandson practices reading.

 

Okay, so.  I absolutely know how lucky I am, having her for a mom.

And how lucky all the kids are with her as their grandma.

John has told all the little kids, "Grandma's got your back."  And it's true. Nobody loves, forgives, understands, encourages, believes in us more.

In that black and white filmstrip photo of us, she may look like a  young girl.

Pah. Don't be fooled by the big blue eyes.  That is a woman who is a considerable force for a multitude of people neither of us knew in that picture with me up on her shoulder.

Happy Birthday, Mom.   love forever, Val and Everybody