Damned if you do, damned if you don't

It's the madre's birthday today. And there are already signs that she's forgotten. She made her own birthday breakfast for the rest of us. She's at Spencer's soccer game right now. And she doesn't want to go out to dinner because it might interfere with her children's social lives. As if we have them.

But it is her birthday and we must honour her. Yes, honour with a 'u'. United Kingdom style. Let me tell you some things that make Lisa one of the most amazing women I know.

All of her children play a musical instrument, be it piano, violin or cello, or both, we all can sit down and play music. Because of her. Because she took us to lessons every week, practiced with us everyday and never gave/gives up when we give her an attitude only ever provoked by Suzuki. Can you imagine twenty some odd years of doing that? And never giving up? I can't. I can't even begin to imagine the patience and love it has taken for her to deal with us through all of that. I want to do it with my kids, but maybe I'll just hire her...

My mom is herself a brilliant musician. Of course, she denies that. But she got a degree in piano pedigoge from the University of Utah and taught piano for a few years before giving that up because of her children. She taught us at the beginning stages of our piano careers. My dad has always said that when he went to her senior piano recital at the U, as he watched her play, that's when he knew he had to marry her. Sweet, eh? She's accompanied Caroline and I all throughout our violin years, now accompanies Andrew and Spencer. She's the primary pianist, a much harder job than it sounds, trust me. The woman loves music, what else is there to say.

Yams, peppers and spinach. My mother has a rare stomach condition that doesn't allow her to eat all the delicious foods she cooks for us. We sit down to a breakfast of pancakes, french toast, eggs and bacon...she sits down with a plate of peppers. Every day there are yams in the oven, cooking. Right now, even. And she likes them burnt to a crisp. We tease her about it all, but wow, how could you not admire someone for that kind of fortitude? Plus, she never complains about it.

I haven't mentioned sports yet, have I? My mom can play tennis, I mean really play tennis. When she was young she used to go out on their tennis court with her dad early in the mornings and play. She's been pretty patient with us over the years as we've gone from tennis practice to soccer practice to swim lessons and back to tennis. Sort of like the music lessons thing. She's also a wicked water skier.

One time when I was in middle school we were eating dinner and scarfing down her delicious delicious homemade bread with honey. I don't remember what was said, but somehow my mom and I ended up wrestling around having a honey fight. It was a sticky dinner.

A few summers ago, we went to Jackson Hole and on our way home we stopped at a Dairy Queen drive-thru. We had a long drive ahead of us so my mom wanted to make sure we were all adequately relieved of our fluids. As we pulled up to the microphone thing my mom gets out and walks over to the driver's side and right after the worker asked what he could get for us, my mom says, "Do you need to go to the bathroom?" The worker was so confused,"Excuse me...?"

My mom's favorite joke: What did the zero say to the eight? Nice belt. That joke has many a time gotten her laughing so hard she can't breathe. And when that happens, you stand no chance of keeping a straight face yourself.

Anyway, my mom is a great person. She cares a lot about everyone around her and accomplishes so much that none of us even know about. Thanks for being awesome, Mom.

Happy Birthday!

I stole the picture from Kristin. She just caught the most candid moment of the summer with her
awesome camera. It's not possible to keep a straight face when you look at it.