Mother's Day

To my Mom aka Muddy on this almost Mother's Day 2009:

As I became a mother myself there have been several situations and occasions in which I've thought to myself, "You're lucky you had a great example of a mother to prepare you for this." So on this Mother's Day I wanted to publicly thank you for a number of them:

• You never criticized my body as a child.  I didn't go through bouts of wondering if I was skinny enough or pretty enough. I always thought I was fine the way I am.  That's because of you.  You didn't look in a mirror and criticize everything about yourself.  I don't ever recall you saying "I wish my ___ was bigger/smaller."  You had a healthy appreciation of your body and passed that on to me.  I hope to do the same with Addie (and Ben, but more particularly Addie since girls have such body image issues).
• You always instilled in me the meaning of family.  The fact that any one of the six of us knew what was going on with any of the other ones of us at any given moment, good or bad, has made me wonder how some siblings don't know anything about the others.  To me, we all just always did.  Even as we have grown and become adults, even when we've made decisions the others didn't agree with, we are still brothers and sisters.  It makes total sense to me that we'll all be celebrating every holiday/special occasion together as much as reasonably is possible.  That's because of you.  I hope that Addie and Ben will always be able to count on each other and know that other not only as a sibling but as a friend and support.
• You always knew how to make things fun.  You still do.  Even as my friends today joke about Nourie World and how we're always having fun as a family, I owe that to you.  Even in tough, horrible times, we still managed to have fun. That's because of you.
• You encouraged me to become anything I wanted to be. Even though I didn't become my 8-year-old ambition of a pediatrician,  I got to become a professional who helps people and contributes to my community.  I never wondered if I was "good enough" or "smart enough."  I just expected to achieve success at whatever I approached.  That's because of you.  
• My self-confidence has never ceased. In some ways, I'm self-confident to a ridiculous level, but that's who I am.  You always cheered me on, praised me, critiqued when you knew I didn't try my hardest, and told me I would be alright.  As a parent now and a professional, I don't question my abilities (most of the time!).  That's because of you.
• You can fix anything.  You can create anything. If someone can dream it, you can make it.  Addie and Ben know this about you.  Everyone who has met you has had a chance to see one or more of your creations and always marvels at your talents.  I try to make stuff. Sometimes it works out. Sometimes it doesn't. I'm ok with that (see bullet point above). I get my inspiration and dreaming from you.
• You love your grandchildren to the ends of the earth.   You spend as much time as possible with Addie and Ben. You nurture them. You cuddle them. You praise them. You play with them, on their terms, on their level.You love them.  I look forward to the day when I am a grandmother and can duplicate your efforts.  That's because of you.

I just want to say thank you for all you have done and continue to do for me and my family.  I love you and think you're an incredible mother, friend and woman!!!