Mom

I realize that I am really late with this, but too bad (I've been sort-of busy), here is my tribute anyway:
Facts about my mom:

1: She is the most selfless person I know and I'm lucky enough that she's willing to watch the baby while I work so that we don't have to put her in daycare while she's still so little. (Can't tell you how grateful I am for that. Now, if only Mike would find a new job so I can stay home permanently (HINT!).)

2: She's willing to drop everything just to come over and make sure that I'm okay (yesterday I was running a fever and felt like crap; she was on her way to work, but came over anyway to watch the baby so I could rest).

3: She is known in some circles as "Creative Candee," which just shows you how amazing she is at everything.

4: She is the best hostess ever. Have you ever been to a party or shower or something like that and thought to yourself, "Eh, I've been to better?" You would never say that about a Creative Candee party. Seriously. I've had friends ask her to plan their weddings.

5: She still loves my dad. What? What does that have to do with anything?! My parents have been married for 30 some-odd years and now that the possibility of them living alone in the house together is looming, I asked my mom if she was nervous about living alone with my dad. (You know, like in that terrible movie that's always on TBS, the one where Kathy Bates is married to Terry Bradshaw and he has a "naked room." And Kathy is afraid to be alone with him because what if he doesn't love her anymore? You know that horrible, awful movie?) She told me that she wasn't worried about it at all, because she was pretty sure that my dad still likes her. (He does, I checked. And I'm pretty sure he would never have a "naked room.") (You might think this is a silly reason, but as a person who has worked on many divorces for marriages that went belly-up after 20-30+ years, or couples who stayed together "for the sake of the kids," I'm so grateful that my parents still love each other.)

6: She's an amazing Grandmother. (She's already spoiled the baby rotten. But she's so cute, it's hard NOT to spoil her. She actually has a sign in her house that says "Who Needs Santa When We Have Grandma.")

7: She raised 3 girls. That means caring for 3 girls who went through puberty and being snotty teenagers (oh, the 14 year-old; how I'm not looking forward to dealing with our girl in 14 years). Now, I have to admit that I don't really remember a lot of things, but I really don't think that me or my sisters were THAT bad as teenagers. (My parents can correct me if I'm wrong.) I've heard stories about girls that are seriously bratty at that age and I don't remember acting like a total and complete jerk during this time. Must be because my parents did a good job of raising us.

8: She's willing to help us out whenever we need it no matter what she's doing.

My mom is the absolute best and I appreciate her even more and what she has done for me now that I'm a mom. I'm only beginning to understand the sacrifices she made for us. And I can only hope to be half as good at being a mom as she is to me. I love you, Mom!

I just hope and pray that Lucy will feel the same way about me someday.