5.10.09

My mom is a pretty cool lady. She's been a hell of a role model over the years, strong, sassy and always supportive. I'm glad to say that she's not only my mom but one of my best friends. So, in the spirit of my list of 5 things I'm grateful for, today I'll share with you some of the life lessons that my mom taught me.(...some of which I'm still learning.)

• Be flexible. Life seldom goes the way we plan. Sometimes it's better than we could hope.
  
• Be silly. (Mom's Halloween costumes were always AWESOME.)
  
• Own pets.
  
• Read.
• Popcorn and diet pepsi make a perfectly acceptable meal.
• Observe.
• Speak your mind, but be kind.
• Ain't is not a word. (Not in her house, at least!)
  
• Eat your vegetables. (I'm still working on this one...)
• A change of scenery (or change of house!) keeps you sharp.
• Family comes first.
• Reality is overrated.
  
• Be creative.
• Be bold.
  

When I was in fifth grade, I moved into a new bedroom in our house, and Mom asked what color I wanted it to be. I decided that I wanted purple...I had probably seen a classmate's lavender boudoir and thought it was the bee's knees. I went away to a traumatic first-sleepaway-camp, and after making it through the week (I only called home in tears the first 4 nights...out of six.) returned home to a purple room.

Purple.

Eggplant.

Aubergine.

I loved it.

So thanks, mom...for letting me paint my lampshades in cosmetics; for never censoring my reading; for introducing me to swedish fish and salads; for loving me unconditionally despite all my flaws and mistakes made.

You're the best.