Happy Birthday Momma!

Happy Birthday Mom!

My mom is always looking for a local adventure. She made the most of everywhere we ever lived, and she made my siblings and I appreciate what is around us. Pam Pickert is a marvelous mom, a caring person, a bargain hunter, and an inspirational teacher. She has worked hard to become this woman, and she radiates positivity.

My mom taught me what it is like to deeply care for people. As a toddler, she brought me along to handicap preschool. In elementary school, she brought my brother and I to puppet shows. She put on these shows to explain what it is like to be handicapped to normal children. When I was in high school, she asked me to lifeguard for the residents of a group home where she worked. My mom has never been someone who just does a job. She showed me what it was like to create meaningful experiences for other people.

We moved about every three years. My mother was never your typical military wife. No one could confine her to a base, there was a new town to be seen. When we lived in Maryland we travelled to Washington D.C. once a month, she wanted to be sure we got it all in before we moved. When we lived in Ft. Walton Beach, she took us to the beach every Wednesday afternoon to picnic and play superman with our beach towels. She never told me I was being dramatic when I cried; she always listened. Then she would dispense advice that I would ignore. Inevitably, months later I would realize she was right.

Books are treasures, they hold adventures and lessons. My mother has been taking me to the magical place where you borrow books my entire life. She opened doors to worlds I will never have time to explore entirely.

My mommy is from a small town in Alabama. She was the first to graduate high school in her family. She went to college, and earned two masters degrees. Without knowing it, my mom was leading by example. My problems in life have been minuscule, because my mother protected me and loved me. She is an amazing woman and I am truly truly blessed to call her my mother.

I can’t begin to explain what my mother means to me. My rambly account of my mommy doesn’t give even a hint at her impact on her piece of the world. I love you momma, happy birthday.

 

 

Grey turns 3!

My godson Grey turned 3 a couple weeks ago. I’m a little behind the times! His momma did a wonderful job, but she always does one. There were cotton candy cupcakes.

There were happy children.

There was a happy boy.

He’s so grown up!

Birthday Lady

Ellis IslandMany years ago my mother claims that her whiny children held her back from fully exploring Ellis Island. I think I was around ten or twelve. Last year on our trip to NYC my mom got her chance to go back and fully explore. Look at the excitement in this woman’s face! My momma was freezing cold, and she was ecstatic to be standing in front of Ellis Island.

In the 26 years my mom has been a mom, she has given up on many things she would have rather been doing. She is an adventurer by nature, and she likes to check out random and unusual things. Her three whiny kids weren’t always so cooperative. My mom has shown me the meaning of patience, kindness, and what it means to grow as a human being.

I love her. Happy Birthday lady.

Leah is 25 years old, she is as good as gold

Happy Birthday Leah!

Leah

Today my dear pal Leah turns twenty-five years old. Once, now four whole years ago, we spent a summer in Mexico together. IT WAS THE BEST SUMMER EVER. While we were in Mexico we went to the city of Tepotzlan several times. Our goal in this city was to climb a mountain, we got there to late in the day a few times to accomplish this goal. The day we made it up, it rained. The rocks were slippery, our clothes were wet, and we didn’t slip and die! It was a glorious experience.

On one of our unsuccessful trips to climb the mountain, Leah and I strolled around the city of Tepotzlan. While in Mexico we saw many people on the streets, and we also saw many stray, hungry looking dogs. A hungry dog was more than Leah could handle. It drove her nuts. So, when we saw these little guys below, Leah marched on over to a taco stand and bought them each a taco. Leah likes puppies. Leah does not like seeing puppies go hungry. That is just the kind of glorious gal she is. Happy Birthday Chica.

Mexico Puppies