On Mother's Day.

To my kind, beautiful, lovely mom:

Thank you...

for taking me to the library every week when I was little and igniting my love for literature.

for treating us to Dairy Queen once per week after school
 (it's probably your fault I love ice cream so much).

for buying me the special tie-dye bread to bring in my lunchbox 

so I fit in with the cool kids in elementary school.

for driving me an hour to and from gymnastics practice four days per week (and for entertaining yourself during each 4 hour practice, when I'm sure you had better things to do). 

for giving up your career to stay at home with us. 

for letting me wear my hair in pig-tail buns on the the sides of my head for my 7th grade

school picture, even though I looked like a moron. 

for driving me to and from the movie theater every single Friday and Saturday night in Junior High (and for financing that expensive habit).

for actually paying the one dollar "entrance fee" I charged to watch me perform 

stunt routines on the trampoline in the backyard.

for putting up with all the strange things I did as a child (and a teenager; and probably now).

for helping cut and fold paper for every invitation and program I made for the wedding.

for supporting my decisions and always believing in me. 

I'm happy to say that you're one of my best friends, 

and I hope I've inherited a lot from you.

Except for your corny jokes.
Happy Mother's Day!