Happy birthday to me...and Mama.

Today's my birthday.  There's a vicious rumor going around about how old I'm turning, which can't possibly be true.  Let's see - the year is 2010, so let's subtract my birth year and...oh, I guess it is true.

My day started off wonderfully - woke up to breakfast in bed, prepared by the girls: 

You have to see *what* they served me:

And I was served a glass of sweet iced tea to wash it all down.

Of course, like any good mommy, I ate most of it.

You'd think after all that sugar, I would have accomplished more today.  But my happy day has also been peppered with sadness.  Oh, I got lots of hugs/kisses from My Hero and the girls, the phone rang a lot with birthday wishes, and I received lots of happy birthday wishes on Facebook from friends near and far.  But the one call I wished would come did not...

The happy birthday call from Mama.

That's because Mama died in the summer of 2006.  For five years now, I've missed her happy birthday call and the sappy birthday card from her that inevitably arrived that same day.  She was very rarely sappy in real life, but the birthday cards always were.

I miss her.

Do you ever really get over losing a parent?  My daddy died when I was very young (right before I turned 10), so for most of my life it was just me and Mama.

Late in life I found My Hero, and then God blessed me with Punkin and Puddin.  I thank Him every day that Mama got to know both girls - and they developed quite the love affair.  Mama called them "my loves".  The girls miss her terribly.

Mama was my protector from early on.  When the school classroom was too hot, she brought a fan.  When I couldn't eat the divinity that she was famous for, she made some without pecans.  There are thousands of other acts that I truly didn't appreciate at the time.  Now I wish I could thank her for all of them.

Sure Mama and I had our moments - we sometimes argued like cats and dogs, but underneath there was always the understanding that we loved each other and would be there for each other.

And now she's gone.  What I wouldn't give to have that phone ring just one more time with a happy birthday wish.  That would be the longest birthday call in recorded history - because I'd take the time to tell her everything I wish I'd told her, and I'd apologize for not being grateful for everything she did for me while she was still here.

I suppose birthdays should be celebrated not just by the birthday boy/girl, but also by the mothers  - after all, giving birth makes it a pretty memorable day for the moms too.

For those of you still blessed to have your mother here on earth, take the time today to thank her.  And remember to tell her happy birthday on your birthday.

Happy birthday, Mama - I love you and I miss you terribly.