Moms

It was just my Mom's 60th Birthday on the 26th! My sister planned an awesome surprise birthday party for her at my cousin Sarah's house. She says she will remember it forever. Seeing as I live allllll the way over here, and we couldn't make it, I sent a little care package with pictures and a card. I also wrote a little something for my sister to read out at at the party...Moms are great....:

Mom,

First off let me say how disappointed we are that we could not be there to celebrate this awesome day with you! For years you have been telling us to throw you a 'surprise' party for your 60th. And now while I am not sure how telling people to throw you a surprise party constitutes a surprise, Teri and Gratton have achieved this ( i hope) and kept you in the dark!

I wanted to take this opportunity to take a trip down a 31 year lane. Well, more like 30 as I really don't have the most vivid recollections from my first year here-I do hope you'll understand.

A lot of my memories from being a little girl in Boissevain are filled in or at least verified by the amazing photos we have. One in particular that is near and dear to me is the one of me on that silly plastic rocking horse. you have a stylin' afro and have your hands up in the air as if to catch me. I look like I am having the time of my life. So thank you for providing simple joys even at the tender age of 1.

Looking at still more photos I remember you made the most amazing cakes for my birthday each and every year. One in particular that stands out is the year that you made each guest at my party a GIANT rice krispie cake molded into the shape of their first initial.I got an email last year from a friend who was at that birthday party and still remembers how cool that was. You always made each birthday for Teri and I so special. Breakfast in bed, pool parties, special dinners, balloons everywhere and wonderful, thoughtful gifts.

Your decision to stay home until I started Kindergarten is also one that now I am a mother I recognize as a big sacrifice. Your job was me. And I thank you for that. I remember those little plastic Tupperware dishes filled with raisins and marshmallows. And I remember sticking said raisins and marshmallows in my nose while watching sesame street. HA! Bet you didn't know that....

The opportunities that you and Dad provided for both Ter and I are countless and no doubt contributed to the fine women we have turned out to be . hahaha. Band, voice lessons, piano lessons, gymnastics, ringette, baseball, camp, festival..the list goes on and on, and looking back I know how lucky we were to have those opportunities. The thing is you not only provided us with opportunities, but the freedom to explore them in our own way. At baseball I remember playing the outfield, and doing handstands while waiting for the batters to hit the ball. I would still somehow manage to catch it if it came my way though. Thanks for letting me express myself...upside down.

Now that I have Sir Oliver, I look back at my childhood and realize what an incredibly important role a mother plays. You not only give life, but sustain it. You not only hold us up but let us go, While I know the times where you let go I didn't always choose the path that you would have chosen for me, I do hope that regardless of the way I got here, you know I got here because you gave me the tools to one day find my way.

Happy 60th Birthday Mom and Grammy. Can't wait to see you in September...

Lisa

Happy Birthday Mom!