Dear Mom,

I know you think birthdays just aren't all that exciting anymore...Truthfully, you'd probably rather they not come at all.  I know you feel that way, but...we don't.
We love your birthday.  It reminds us every year of how grateful we are to have you as our Mom/Nanny.  We love to celebrate and sing, eat cake with you and remember all the fun ways we have celebrated in years past...you know, like the year we surprised you with a huge party by Mark telling you he just had to go home because he had to POOP.   I will never forget the look on your face or how much fun we had celebrating YOU.
Without you, Mom, there would be no us.  No Mark, or Sam, or Me.  No grandkids to love on, laugh at/with and spoil.  There would be no late night kitchen therapy sessions, no marathon shopping days, no Disney memories (E rides & grandkids!,) no movie saturdays or pedicure trips, no Turkey day feasts with all the trimmings, (we'll just bypass the septic tank year in that memory....,) no Christmas rosettes or holly cookies, no tiny little Santa presents under our trees, no jingling of the sleigh bells as Santa rides away, (well...that was Dad, but I'm sure you were in on it!,) no Easter baskets overflowing with treats, no marathon pool days and crazy parties...
Without you, Mom, the world would be just. so. boring.
You are the glue, the sticky tac, the stitching...that which holds us all together.
For that, my Mama, I am just so thankful. I am thankful for all the memories, the laughter, the tears, the joys and sorrows, the good and the bad.  I love you more than I can ever put into words.
You're the best, Mom and we wish we were there to see you cry while you read this.  But...since I've been making you cry since 1971, I've got a pretty mental image of you right now.  :-)
Happy Birthday to my....beautiful, amazing, wonderful, marvelous, fantastic, inspiring...
Mom.
We love you!!
Tiffers, Charles, Eva, Charley, Mercy, Max, & Sam
p.s. this just happens to be on my blog....  :-)