Happy Birthday Mom!

HaPpY BiRtHdAy, MoM!!!!!

Today, Nov 22nd, is my Mom's birthday.

Do I dare tell you her age? I guess since she doesn't have a computer and won't see this, it'd be okay to share it with you.

She's 69 years old today.

I can hardly believe it!

I only hope that I am as active as she is when I reach sixty-nine!

Here is a picture of my Mom with my Dad. It's a picture that was taken a couple of years ago, but it's a really good picture of her, and she would KILL me if I put a picture on here of her that she didn't like!

Jean & Dwain Fraser - October 2008

Last week, Mom showed me a picture of our family from 1974! (less Danielle.... she didn't come along until 1976).







This is my Dad (38 yrs), my Mom (33 yrs), me (on the left) at 7 yrs and my sister, Wannett (on the right) at 5 yrs.

Dwain & Jean, Michelle & Wannett Fraser - 1974
*Wannett - Celia is the spitting image of you in this photo!!!!

A neighbour of ours had gotten married and this picture was taken in their home. I remember these little dresses that Wannett and I wore. My Mom made them. She made many of our clothes when we were little. I remember when I was a teen, she was on a t-shirt-making binge. My nickname was Froggie and she found material with little frogs all over it. hahaha. Oh the memories!







So, back to Mom's birthday. I wanted to tell you a little story about my Dad's "gift" to her today.







Today my Mom had a dentist appointment in a neighbouring city, and since her youngest brother lives in that city, he had invited her out for a birthday luncheon. She asked me if I would mind checking on Dad around lunch time to ensure everything was okay. (My Dad has had multiple mini-strokes over the past decade and has trouble with walking, speaking, hearing, writing, etc.)







So I head down the road to my parents' home, and sure enough Dad is doing well.... sitting in his big recliner watching television with the volume muted while listening to a blaring radio. We chatted for a while and then the conversation turned to Mom's birthday.







I said to Dad, "I guess we should've got some flowers or something for Mom from you, eh?" He smiled and shrugged his shoulders. I chuckled and said, "How's about I find some artificial flowers somewhere here in the house and put them in a vase and you can give THOSE to her!" He gave a big smile, so I knew he approved of our little prank.







I rummaged through the house, and when I went into Mom's bedroom, I found a big clear vase full of pretty lavender coloured flowers that she had in the corner of her room. I brought them out for Dad's approval. He grinned.







I set them on the kitchen table, and then I hunted down some paper and crayons. I proceeded to draw some flowers on the front of a folded homemade card and wrote HAPPY BIRTHDAY. I asked Dad what else he thought we should write and he suggested, "I LOVE YOU". Sounded good to me. So I wrote a big I LOVE YOU in crayon on the inside of the card.







I then grabbed a pen and encouraged Dad to write his own name. He kept saying he couldn't do it (which is correct; many times he has trouble writing because he can't physically do it and because his mind can't remember how to spell due to the strokes). I said, "Oh yes, you can do it. I'll help you."







Well, it took us a while, but he did it. All by himself. One mark at a time.







D - W - A - I - N







Then I said, "How about an 'X' and an 'O' for a kiss and a hug?" Well, he thought that'd be great. So he managed to draw those. Then he looked at it and said, "I don't even know what those things are for!!!!!" hahahahaa. I had to remind him that they were a kiss and a hug. He laughed. But I think he was pretty darn proud of himself for writing his name and a big 'X' and 'O'.







So I took the card and tucked it in the beautiful bouquet of artificial lavender flowers that sat on the kitchen table. I wish I was there when Mom walked in the door. I would have loved to see the look on her face. She called me later and said I had forgotten to blow the dust off the flowers. hahahahahaa.







I later left her a message on her phone. I had the Chipmunks singing Happy Birthday on the computer and made it sound like our dogs and cat were singing to her. haha.







Well, it was certainly an inexpensive birthday, but it was full of valuable memories for ME! We don't usually make a big deal of birthdays at my place, but it was a fun afternoon with my Dad in trying to help him pull a birthday prank on Mom.







I am fortunate to have been born into this family. I cannot think of any better parents or sisters in the world. My parents were not rich with money by ANY means; but they loved us, and we never had a need go unmet. I am so very blessed.







So Mom, I hope you enjoyed Dad's gift. [grin]







Thank you for what you do and for who you are.







HaPpY BiRtHdAy, MoM!!!!!