Yes, her birthday really is 9/11. But even more important than the anniversary of the attacks is the birth of my mother and a special anniversary in her life.
My mother is truly my best friend. She is my mother by choice, a long road that I have written about before. She has always been there for me and supported me and tried to raise me right. She has taught me so much in life, things practical and things abstract and she never asks for anything in return. She even let me move home to pursue my dream and she was a major contributor to my first film (hence her Executive Producer status on IMDB!) Sorry I don't have a picture of her, but I'll try to get a good one this weekend.
Today is her 60th birthday (which she'd rather everyone not know but since she looks like a little kid, no one's going to believe it anyway) and it is the 5th anniversary of her remission from cancer. There was a time five years ago when I was scared that I might lose her. I don't know the actual date of when we got the official word 'remission' is, I think it's actually sometime in January but I mark it on her birthday because that was the date of her last horrible round of chemo. I made a banana cake to take to both celebrate her birthday and to thank the incredible nurses who saved my mother's life. My mother has an oncogene called Her2/neu that basically replicates cancer cells like a Xerox machine and they treated it as aggressively as they possibly could. And she had every possible side effect you could ever get. Honestly, getting her through the chemotherapy without killing her seemed an impossible task at the time. But she did it, and then radiation and now she's cancer free (yes, I knocked on wood, I'm not taking any chances!)
Yesterday my Aunt Leslie flew in from Florida and my Uncle Stuart and his girlfriend Roberta drove in from California to surprise her for her birthday. Boy was she surprised. I was afraid she might be mad at me for planning this but since I can't give her all that she deserves, I at least wanted her to know how much she is loved. So today they are taking her to lunch and tonight we'll have Chinese takeout (and I think some banana cupcakes) with everyone including Will and Val and tomorrow I have a 'grandma-sitter' (my friend Kelly, who ROCKS for helping us out, what a guy, thanks Kelly) and we are all going out to dinner. I arranged with her boss for her to have the weekend off so I don't know what they will do but I'm sure her siblings will take her to do fun stuff. She deserves to be treated like the queen she is.
My father made the greatest decision of his, and my, life when he married my mother. She is the most incredible person I know and I'm lucky to be her daughter.
Happy Birthday Mommy! I love you.
2 comments:
Happy Birthday, Shae's Mom!!!! And many, many more!!!
Your mom sounds like a great lady and I wish her nothing but continued health and happiness.
Sounds like she is going to have a great time with her family. She deserves to kick up her heels and have some fun after all the recent difficulties. You do, too, so I hope you all have an absolute ball together!
Ever see those decorative plates with homey quotes on them? Well I think this one applies to you and your family this weekend: Eat well, laugh often, and love much.
I want that plate Maura!
Shae, you're so lucky to have such a great Mom. There needs to be more like her in the world that's for sure.
Happy Birthday to her and keep her healthy!
Now go eat and save me a cupcake!
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