my mom

with her, every single birthday was a special event. trips to the library were a weekly treat and she never limited the amount of books we checked out (also, she pretended not to notice when I stayed up late nights with those same books, flashlight in hand). painting, drawing, dancing, singing, writing (creating of anything in general) was met with great encouragement. our house was never without a certain amount of silliness. to this day, no one can make me laugh like she does. she was the one who introduced me to the world of yard sales. with her, they were fantastic places where glittery old costumes and vintage jewelry could be purchased for a song. and though she might not have always been thrilled with the clothes I wore during my teenage years, she (almost) always respected my freedom to choose. she made every christmas, every easter, every holiday so special (instilling in me a magnificent love for tradition and celebration). she represents strength, intelligence, creativity. she stands out as an example of what it means to be selfless, loving. she is the voice of calm when I feel I am swimming in an ocean of stress. she has seen (and supported) me through everything and knows how and when to keep me grounded. she always had time for picnics in the front yard, heated games of sorry and uno and impromptu dance performances in the living room. beautiful and radiant, she's my mom.

happy mother's day.