For Mom

Today is Mother's Day and I want to give a special shout-out to my mom, who is the most amazing woman I know.  Mom married my dad when she was barely in her 20's, and spent her honeymoon enroute to Dad's first assignment ... Alaska!  How many women do you know would leave their home on the Arizona/Mexico border to move all the way to Alaska ...which, by the way, wasn't even a State at the time?  

When I was growing up, we lived in some pretty remote places in Alaska, but I never remember Mom being anything other than positive and happy.  She taught me school for 3 years at our kitchen table ...then moved to the Aleutian Islands..always finding things to love about each new place we moved.  I definitely got my ability to adapt to new places from both of my parents.

When she was 62, Mom got the diagnosis no one ever wants ... lung cancer.  It was a terrible time and many tears were shed, but she didn't give up.  She found a surgeon who agreed to operate ...and 18 years later, my mom is living an amazing life, minus a third of her lung.  I guarantee that she could run most of us into the ground.  She exercises both mind and body every single day, she eats well, she and Dad lead a busy and full life.  She's my hero.  I am thankful every day for both my parents - love you guys.

So today's blip is for my mom ... and also for all the other amazing mom's out there - my sister-in-law, my mother-in-law, my two nieces and so many other wonderful woman.  Cheers to you!

The gals and I had a great time yesterday - drinking way too much wine, laughing, sharing memories and stories, as you do with old and dear friends.  Iv'e posted my favorite picture of us all, taken yesterday on our deck, to the right in Extras.  Left to right - Peggy, Kura, Ellen, moi.  Hubs behind the camera!

Blissful Sunday...

And I'll tag this for the MayMacroMayhem Challenge