FIFTY

Today is my mom's fiftieth birthday.

I bet fifty feels a lot different to her than she thought it would at thirty. But at the same time, I bet fifty feels a lot different to her than she thought it would at forty-seven.

It's been an interesting few years for us as I transition into "adulthood" and as I rely on/look at her as more of a friend sometimes than a mother. Maybe that's good, maybe that's bad, but it's true.

So in honor of her fiftieth, 50 things I love about my mom:

1. Her pretty blue eyes.
2. She sent me dozens of encouraging letters before my half marathon.
3. She scratches my back when I am home.
4. She laughs at my jokes.
5. She makes me pancakes for breakfast when I come home.
6. She gets to know my friends as if they were her own.
7. When we were little, she would sing the monkey part in "I Wanna Be Like You" anytime we asked her to, even during carpool in front of all our friends.
   
8. She's the only one who calls me Linny.
9. She's often sentimental when it's not necessary, but always sentimental when it is.
10. She's the most requested teacher at her school.
11. When I miss my granddad, I look at her and it's like he's still here.
12. She finally had her back surgery.
    
13. She's going to walk the Mercedes Half Marathon in Birmingham next February.
    
14. When she was 40 she looked 50 and now she's 50 and looks 40.
15. She calls me her cabbage (it's a long story).
16. During the summer, she would have our friends over for birthday parties for our animals and cabbage patch dolls.
    
17. She lets me write on my blog about all the goofy stuff she does and says.
    
18. She still does Santa.
    
19. She begs me to sleep in her bed when I am home.
    
20. She is learning how to be independent. I think.
21. She used to watch Friends with me every Thursday.
22. She never missed a recital, class party or school program.
23. She would let me check out as many books as I wanted from the library instead of making me pick a few at the time.
24. Every time I forgot my cheerleading bloomers at home, she would bring them to me so the whole school didn't see my underwear.
25. She thought the camera case incident was just as funny as we did.
    
26. She fights for my attention.
27. She still uses AOL e-mail because it's all she knows how to use.
28. She used to fix my hair every morning until almost junior high.
29. She was never too busy to film us putting on "shows" in the shower, on the fireplace, in the driveway, in the playroom, etc.
    
30. She plays bunko!
31. She decided to paint one day, and discovered she was really good at it.
    
32. She ate a bird egg.
33. She taught me how to proofread.
34. She came to visit me the first time I had to stay in after-school care, even though that kind of defeats the purpose.
35. She is protective.
36. Everything she had to write my name on, from lunch boxes to PE jerseys, always looked good. Never crooked or sloppy.
37. She found fun babysitters for us.
    
38. She's not afraid to laugh at herself. Or let me laugh at her.
39. She wants me to succeed maybe more than I even want myself to.
40. She did ventriloquism for her talent when she was in Junior Miss (and laughs with us at her best friend, who recited "Twas the Night Before Christmas")
    
41. One time when I had a bad ear ache, she said "I would take the pain for you if I could."
42. We had the most interesting and diverse dress up clothes in all of Birmingham thanks to her. My friends and I dressed up all the way until high school.
    
43. Every year on the first day of school, we would come home to a scavenger hunt through the house to find some prize or toy. Every year.
44. She saves me things she knows I'd be interested in, whether it's an article, a magazine or a wedding invitation.
45. She took care of my cat when I went to college.
46. She buys me children's books sometimes when they remind her of what she thinks/hopes for me.
    
47. She taught me everything I know about cooking (aka: not much).
48. She'll print this list out and save it.
49. She'll cry each time she reads it.
50. She's not afraid of her life anymore.

Mommy - I love you so much. I used to be scared I was turning into you but now I'd be scared if I wasn't. Thank you for everything you've always done for me. You always say you are so proud of me, but really, I'm the proud one. You are the hippest, craziest, unfifty fifty year old I know. I am blessed to be your daughter!
Love,
Linny