Tuesday, August 28, 2012

This Year, It’s More Than Just a Birthday . . .

Today is my mom’s 73rd birthday.  It feels different – while we have always celebrated Mom’s birthdays and they have been very special days, the events of the past year have made me realize the need to cherish each one.

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We got together at my brother’s house on Sunday evening.  It is not easy to schedule an evening that includes all of us – I had a football game to announce on Friday, Ryan worked late on Saturday, Blake’s son Conner went on the evening shift on Monday, and his son Tyler left a few weeks ago to begin college at Miami University.  So we settled on Sunday evening – Ryan came from work and we Skyped with Tyler from college (I had never experienced Skype before).

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The only thing Mom ever wants for her birthday is time with her family, but we still try to find something special for her.  She especially enjoys the cards – Blake’s boys always design a card with a special message on the computer; I usually try to find one that’s extremely silly.  But that just didn’t seem appropriate this year.

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So I got a tender card and wrote a note on the back.  For those of you who don’t need the challenge of deciphering my handwriting, here is what I wrote . . .

 This is not a funny card . . . this is not a funny birthday.  Last year (and every year before that), I took your birthday for granted.  Three days later, everything changed.  Now, I cherish every moment we share.  I am so proud of you and the way you have carried yourself this past year.  Thanks for letting me share a part of our lives with the people I encounter on my travels – in many ways, you have become part of their families, too.  I love you so much – I have many titles in life, and it has always meant so much to me that one of the most important ones is “Carolyn’s Son.”

                                                                                                                               Greg

3 comments:

  1. A BIG GIANT HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO CAROLYN "Gregs Mother & so much more". Many blessings that the good Lord with keep you in his loving arms and healthy!

    Hugs Lori Reinholz

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  2. Happy birthday, Carolyn! May your family share many, many more of them with you.

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