November 1, 2007
NaBloPoMo & A Birthday Tribute to My Mother
It’s the first day of NaBloPoMo and I’m all geared up to blog every single day for the month of November.
You may remember that I participated in this event last November. It was the most thrilling, yet most difficult thing I’ve done in regard to blogging.
It’s so easy to blog when you feel like it. Trying to come up with content every single day was maddening, but I discovered that I was a better blogger because of it. I made an effort to come up with interesting content and I’m so glad that I took the NaBloPoMo challenge.
In honor of this grueling month of blog posting, I’ve created a theme. I’m going to try to find a holiday (some of them wacky or weird) for every day of the month! I have no idea what I’m in store for, but it will keep things interesting!
Today is All Saints Day, and to kick off the first post, I must wish my mother a very happy birthday.
My mother was born November 1, 1951. You can do the math to calculate her age. I’m sure she’d be mad if I actually typed the number 56. Oh darn. Did I do that? (This is all in fun, Mom.)
A former school teacher, my mother is one amazing lady. She’s patient, kind, cautious and so very smart. Whenever I’m in doubt about one thing or another, my mother is ready and waiting to give her advice. This is often both welcomed and resented depending on the circumstances, but when I really think about it, I’m grateful to have my mother’s support when I most need it.
As the oldest of seven children, I think my mom learned to be a caregiver early in her life. She also worries. Constantly. About everything. I’m not exaggerating. Seriously. She’s forever concerned with the well being of her children, grandchild, as well as her siblings, even though they are grown up and have lives of their own.
My mother is conscientious of the feelings of others and she always makes the effort to help those in need, if she can. She raised her children with an ardent faith in God and she believes that the answer to any problem is prayer, most significantly the Rosary.
The thing I love most about my mom is her ability to be funny in the oddest moments. Take for example last Sunday when Dawson and I were visiting.
We were sitting in the living room and she said to me, “Dana, can you do sit-ups?”
“Yeah, why?”
“How many can you do?”
“I dunno, 40 or 50, maybe? I haven’t done them in awhile.”
“I can’t do them.”
“Sure you can! Let’s do some right now. I’ll show you.”
“No…I can’t.”
I managed to convince her and my father moved the coffee table out of the way. Mom and I sprawled onto the floor and I did a few crunches with her.
“These aren’t real sit-ups!” she exclaimed.
“I know, Mom. We don’t do those at the gym. We do crunches. I’ll show you another exercise for your lower abdominals.”
I told her to do some leg raises and then asked her to do the bicycle.
“My bicycle is outside! I can’t ride it in the house!”
I never laughed so hard in my life, until I looked over at my mother, who was “pedaling” her feet while holding her legs in the air. It was funnier yet, when I saw she was laughing right along with me.
It’s moments like these that I’ll remember forever.
Happy Birthday, Mom!
Posted by Dana @ 7:03 am • NaBloPoMo, Relative Chaos
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November 1st, 2007 at 8:35 am, mammacheryl Says:
Yay Dana’s Mom’s Birthday!
November 1st, 2007 at 9:09 am, patois Says:
Happy birthday, Dana’s Mom! Now that tune for “I Want to Ride My Bicycle” is in my head. Um, thanks?
November 1st, 2007 at 9:15 am, Dana Says:
Thanks!
Sorry about the song. Heh. Now it’s in my head, too.
November 1st, 2007 at 9:42 am, Sarcastic Mom Says:
Happy Birthday to your mom!
She sounds delightful.
Lotus:)
November 1st, 2007 at 11:42 am, ~JJ! Says:
Happy Birthday Mom…
Happy Nablopomo…you are brave.
November 1st, 2007 at 1:32 pm, motherofbun Says:
Happy Birthday Dana’s Mom! Hope it turns out to be a wonderful year for you.
And good luck this month with the Nablopomo, Dana!
November 1st, 2007 at 3:33 pm, Julie Says:
Best of luck with the posting daily thing. I considered signing up, too, but don’t think I have it in me with the end of the quarter approaching and a LOT of papers and portfolios to read and grade. Hope it’s as fun as last year.
November 27th, 2007 at 6:20 pm, NaBloPoMo & A Birthday Tribute to My Mother Says:
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