Birthday Lady

Happy Birthday to the sweet one who birthed me!  Man she has put up with a lot over the years raising us five crazy cats (the gray hair we gave her covers up nicely) and the other millions of adopted friends, nieces, nephews, and the list goes on.  I am so grateful for her and the unbelievably great mom she has been to me my whole life.  I hope with all my heart that my kids love me as much as we love her.  She has always been there for us no matter what stupid thing was going on in our lives.  She has always been so supportive and has given great advice about all sorts of things that come our way.  I'm so glad that I have a husband who recognizes that sometimes you just need your mom and has actually taken me to her to cry to because sometimes that is all you need.  She brings so much joy to our family and we definitely wouldn't know how to laugh like we do without her. 

Mom, thanks for never losing your cool with us.  Thanks for leading us by example of how someone should treat others and not just telling us.  Thanks for teaching me to be the best Jill I can be.  Thanks for the lack of dating and marital advice and letting me figure things out for myself.  Thanks for being at home when I came home from school every day, I realize now how many kids don't have that and I am so grateful that I did. Thanks for trusting me so much that I never wanted to do anything that would disapoint you.  Thanks for teaching me how to work but also how to have fun.  And lots of it.  Thanks for being there to answer all my questions about life and offer me advice from the time I could talk up until last last week that I needed grown up house advice. I love you so much and I hope you have the best birthday and year ever!