We went and visited my mom today for mothers’ day – my sister and I took a picnic and we had a good time. My mom had gifts for us, little things but with a lot of meaning. That’s not how it’s supposed to work on mother’s day, but that’s just how mom is.

My mom has done so many wonderful things for me through the years and I want to take this day to thank her.

Mom gave up her military career to marry and have children. She was a promising Women’s Army Corps officer, but back in the early 60s, women couldn’t remain in the military after marriage. She made the choice because she wanted a home and family too. Thank you, mom.

When Dad retired from the Army in 1972 and decided to go back to school, my Mom went too and earned a two-year degree in drafting. I am so incredibly proud of that! It must have been logistically and financially tough with both of them in school at the same time, but she made it work. We never felt financially strapped nor neglected, and were in awe of the glimpses we had of college life. Thank you, mom!

Later, in junior high, I joined the swim team. Swimming is a time consuming sport, 11 months a year and two practices a day. Mom took me to practice every morning at 5:15am without complaint – as an adult and parent of teens, now, I can understand what a huge intrusion that must have been. Understand, I was nowhere near a world class swimmer – just a decent regional swimmer who occasionally placed in relays and specialty events. Nevertheless, mom took me to weekend-long swim meets every month and cheered me on. Thank you, mom.

I went to college in 1981. My mom was going to school then too, through distance learning and a satellite campus. We graduated the same year – although I never walked in my ceremony – me with my bachelors degree and she with her masters degree. Again, it is amazing that she accomplished that. She taught me it’s never to late to continue learning and to reach for the next step. Thank you, mom!

After a few years of marriage, in 1989, I was pregnant with my first, overdue child, and the hospital had been inducing labor for days without success. Mom and my sister Cheri were at the hospital when they broke my water and labor finally began. In spite of my epidural, I was very sick throughout the latter part of my labor, and Mom and Cheri took turns wiping my face with cool cloths and holding an emesis basin for me. They were in the room when Ben was born, and among the first to hold him. It would have been so much harder without them. Thank you!

On September 11, 2001, mom’s flight home didn’t leave Alaska after all, and she spent an extra couple of weeks with us. I was so very, very thankful to have her with me that day, as we picked up the kids from school, huddled together and watched the tragic news. We’d never before heard the skies over Anchorage so quiet! They remained so for three days. Mom, an excellent handyperson, decided that she’d work on projects while she was stuck in Alaska. She started with a fort in the backyard patch of woods for the boys – what a great gift of her time and effort, given how insecure we were all feeling! Then she organized our laundry room with new wire shelving. Thank you, mom.

Mom has helped with many homeowner projects since. Double closet shelving in our Alaska closets. Laying laminate flooring in our Alaska home (which we probably wouldn’t have finished nearly as effectively without her!) A closet organizer system in my new Poulsbo home. She is a really pragmatic, decent carpenter, far better than Bryan or I, and her home project help has been invaluable. More importantly, she’s taught me some basic handyperson skills, and now I can get the work done – I’ve redone a closet or two myself. Thank you, mom!

After mom lost dad, she adopted Sadie, her Australian Shepherd mix rescue doggie. Mom had never been much of a pet person, not wanting the extra responsibility in a life already overfull of responsibility. She adores dogs, though, and has bonded with Sadie like superglue. She and Sadie do agility and everything else together, and Sadie has become nearly human. Sadie hasn’t learned how to type, so she asked me to say it: thank you, mom!

This is just the tip of the iceberg – there are many, many more things she’s done for me, both providing practical support and leading by example.

Thank you, mom. I love you!