My favoritest mama, The Mater, who just happens to be MY mama, had a birthday today. I won’t say which birthday, but I will say that 1) the lady is a veritable font of eternal youth and 2) she gets lovelier every year.
Mama, you are one of the great blessings of my life.
Mom with the girls on one of many lazy mornings:
Mom with me (pregnant with H.) and my brother, Joe. It was a very, very happy day—Joe’s graduation from his Family Practice Residency at UW-Madison as one of the Chief Residents—and she was positively glowing with pride:
Mom on one of our England trips, this taken in a coffee shop in Brighton after she (as usual) had splurged, not on herself, but on me: bright blue suede shoes.
To the woman who flung bologna rings at tigers (me and Joe) in the living room so we could catch them in our mouths,
to the woman who played the theme song from “The Lone Ranger” 40 times straight on the Lowry organ at wall-shaking volume while my brother and I galloped up and down the hallway whipping our imaginary steeds with red Twizzlers,
to the woman who poured lemon iced tea into my open wounds on a bike trip,
to the woman I have wet my pants laughing with more times than I can count,
I love you. Please stick around for at least another half century, lady. Life wouldn’t be the same without you. You are the reason I have hope, you are the reason my DNA twists toward the light, you are the reason I come up for air. Polka on, mama.
{ 1 trackback }
{ 38 comments… read them below or add one }
Happy Birthday to a spectacular Mama and Babci!
(i love the bologna story – you remind me of my own mother. When my 2 yr old sister wanted to fly, Mum ran the length of the hallway holding her around the middle while my sis had her arms outstretched. Halfway down the hall the baby yelled at Mum, “That’s it!! Let go!! Let go!!”)
Such a wonderful tribute to a wonderful lady. And your family has great smiles. Every one of you, including Dr. Joe.
Happy Birthday, Mater!
wow you guys are cute…happy b-day matter
p.s. is that tinkerbell nightie i see awww
Like “tuh-mater” but without the “tuh”
I swear I’ve only seen CARS, the movie, about 100x. Boy do I love Mater.
happy, happy birthday to the most patient, loving mother-in-law in the world! i knew you were a keeper the first morning i spent with you…even after learning that your car had just been stolen and a boy was in your daughter’s bed, you were a gracious, fun and sassy hostess. thanks for all the adventures–i can’t wait for more throughout the years!
xoxokatieface
Happy, Happy Birthday Mater!
What a beautiful family, warm wishes to you Mater and you and your family, Jenn, keep ‘em coming Jenn.
Wishing the Mater a very Happy Birthday……. She is a great lady and an inspiring blogger!
I was going to wish the Mater a happy birthday but…uh…
*sniff*
I’m a little verklempted right now….*sniff*
(Talk amongst yourselves…)
What a wonderful tribute to a fabulous lady. And OH how the pictures above show you as a clone of her, and then Sophie as a clone of you.
Happy (belated) birthday, Mater!
Happy Birthday Mater! You are all lucky to have each other.
Happy Birthday to an amazing mama…who has a pretty amazing daughter, too.
Jenn, you are lucky to have such a relationship with your Mom, it’s evident in your writing that you two are amazingly close, and all can see you cherish it.
*snivelsniff* I’m now going to go irritate my own Mom.
Happy belated birthday Mater! With many many more to come
Your mom is sooo gonna cry when she reads that. Heck – I almost did!
Happy Birthday Jenn’s Mom!
Happy Birthday, Mater! May your joys be many and your sorrows be practically non-existent!.
Ok, I’m a dope. I didn’t know your Mom blogged too. I’ll have to check out her site.
Lovely post. Happy birthday to your sweet Mom.
Wow…seriously beautiful post! Happy birthday to the Mater!
The ‘DNA twist[ing] toward the light’ thing was a very nice touch. I’m doing a thesis in computational biology/genetics, so I may find a way to use that. If I do, I promise to list your website in the references section.
That was so sweet.
Happy Birthday Mater!
I need to go call my Mom now.
It’s good to have someone, ANYONE with whom you can laugh until you wet your pants. That it’s your mama makes it that much better.
Happy Birthday, Mater!
Happy birthday Mater…You are remarkable. That amazingly and obviously passed directly to your daughter. The pure joy & support you give each other is so wonderful.
Keep each other peeing!
I’ve often read through posts and comments here and thought, “I wish *my* mom would move closer,” or “I wish *my* mom commented on my blog,” or “I wish *my* kids had a grandmother they could see more often.”
What I mostly find myself thinking, though, is “What a lovely relationship Jenn and her mother have!”
Happy Birthday, Mater!
What a beautiful tribute to your mother. I have to go call my mom now…
The Mater is lovely, and a special mama. You are both so lucky to have each other. What a nice post.
For those of you who don’t know, the Mater just celebrated her 1 year blogaversary as well. Stop by her blog and wish her well.
(my apologies for the blog jack Jenn. I’ll now return you to your regularly scheduled loving tribute….while I grab another box of tissues.)
Very sweet post, and what great photos. You all have the same smile!
Cheers for the kind comments Jenn! As requested more Photos
Wow, she’s more than a mom, she’s a diuretic!
Happy Birthday, Mater!!!
happy birthday, mater!!
xomox
Verrrrrry sweet. Boy, you all look like you’re from the same mold. Not THAT KIND of mold, silly – the great mold.
Jenn,
I like your mom too. In fact, she is a very good friend of mine. How nice to see such lovely words wirtten about her by her own daughter. What a blessing you are to her. Thank you for sharing your Momma stories about her.
AWWWW Happy B Day
what a sweet sweet post about a lovely lovely lady
There is an otherworldly light that shines from women with their children, and often, if we’re lucky, women with our moms.
Lucky ladies, you two and the new two.
Happy Birthday Mater! You sound like the mother I want to be.
Happy Belated Birthday! and happy everyday, ladies!
Happy Birthday Mater!!!!
Happy Birthday and love to your Momsy.
Love to all of you!
What a gorgeous tribute!
Love your blog!