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Happy Birthday Mom!

February 22, 2005

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{ Mom, my brother David, and teeny weeny me }

Mom, how can it be your 70th birthday? Truly, I'm amazed... how did that happen? Wasn't it just the other day that you were teaching me to tie my shoes? "Make one bunny ear, then loop around it, and push the other bunny ear through."

I think it was just a few years ago, wasn't it? when you took me to the National Gallery of Art every month and I fell in love with Renoir. It was his painting The Girl with the Watering Can that captured my heart, remember? And we both loved Mary Cassatt, Whistler and El Greco. I think we wore a groove the floor of the Dutch masters room as we repeatedly admired Vermeer and Frans Hals too. And remeber how a gallery visit didn't seem complete unless we saw Raphael's, St. George & the Dragon? The knight was so handsome, and the dragon, so WICKED!

You exposed me to so much creativity and art as a child, it's no wonder I became an artist. We sang and drew and splattered paint all over the kitchen... it was wonderful.

As the mother of a scientist and an artist, you certainly had your hands full. David was always deconstructing something just to put it back together again. Remember how he brought all those animals home? There was Charlie, the snail... and the garter snake that you didn't want in the house, who ended up granting your wish when it bit David and freaked us all out ... the baby bunny, the mice... the little bird that died despite our truest loving efforts. Remember?

And... no one had better birthday parties than we did. You created the most incredible cakey confections in the shape of teddy bears, elephants and turtles. David and I were the only kids with custom-made Pin the Tail on the Lions, or Hippos, or Pin the Tail on Whatever Animal You Want This Year! Martha Stewart could have taken lessons from you.

And... Christmas? Nobody does Christmas better than you. Swedish all the way with the best gingerbread ever made in the world. Chirstmas was MAGIC in our house through and through.. with or without the Holiday Glogg! Sometimes I wonder if Christmas can actually happen without you, and I'm not about to even try!

You've always been there to encourage and sing me forward, with so many hugs of acceptance and kisses of belonging. It's hard to believe that almost 40 years ago you brought me into this world, (Good GOD! I'm almost 40!) and I want you to know on your 70th birthday (Good GOD! You're 70!) that you are deeply loved and appreciated by your daughter. I have been so blessed in so many ways by your presence in my life!

~ Susie

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{ I love this photo }

Here's a list of our favorite paintings from the National Gallery of Art:
Renoir's A Girl with a Watering Can.
Whistler's Symphony in White No. 1: The White Girl
Degas' Four Dancers
Mary Cassatt's Children Playing on the Beach
Frans Hals' Portrait of Willem Coymans
El Greco's Saint Martin and the Beggar
Raphaels' St. George & the Dragon

Posted by vincent at February 22, 2005 12:00 AM

Comments

Happy Birthday to your Mum! Clearly, 70 is the new 50. There's no better birthday gift than wonderful shared memories. Here's hoping you both enjoy your Mom's birthday — this year and for many more to come!

Posted by: socks at February 22, 2005 07:05 AM

Happy Birthday Susan's Mom!! I've had the great pleasure of meeting Susan's mom several times and she is really one of the coolest ladies. And I refuse to believe that she's 70!

Posted by: Andrea at February 22, 2005 09:00 AM

Very nice! I envy enyone who has good memories of thier Mother. It is the number one thing missing in my life. Wish her a very happy birthday from me please. Thank you for the links to the pictures, I really enjoyed them.

Posted by: Terry murphy at February 22, 2005 02:26 PM

That is the best Birthday gift you could have given me. And yes! I REMEMBER!!!!

Thank you, Susan.

I love you.

Posted by: mom at February 22, 2005 04:21 PM

Please add my Very Best Birthday Wishes to the mother of Susan, to whom I am so grateful for adding such a lovely being to our lives!

Cyber-love from Nola

Posted by: Nola Figen Perla at February 26, 2005 02:05 AM