happy birthday mom!

the usually weekend recap will have to wait because today is my mom's birthday! WOO 57!!! sorry mom, i had to put your age out there.
i do not even know where to get started on how amazing my mom is. it would probably take entries upon blog entries to explain and it still wouldn't do her justice.
we've had our ups and downs over the years but she really is the best mom. she is the most selfless person i know.

i think i truly realized how amazing she is the summer before i went away to college. i would think that would be the summer from hell in her eyes.
that summer my mom was preparing to go back to work for the first time in 16 or so years. i had just had foot surgery and couldn't walk or drive, and was also preparing to move away for college. chase was too young to drive, so kind of worthless in helping me get around. and then my dad ended up in the hospital for a few weeks because he had blood clots in his lungs.
so the entire summer my mom held it all together, driving all of us around. driving me to get things for college, driving chase and i to the hospital, all while preparing to start work again.
i think i would have lost it and checked myself into a psych ward.

i just hope one day when i have kids i can be half as great as she is!

and it's also my friend nick's birthday! i've known nick for almost 10 years now and he is still one of the coolest, most down to earth people i know.

so happy birthday mom and nick!