Just Laugh.: Happy Mother's Day, Mommacita!

In celebration of Mother's Day, I wanted to honor my little momma. My mom is one of my bestest friends and probably the sweetest person you will ever meet. She's 4'11" and thanks to my younger brother, we've all started giving her the nickname "hamp" or "hampster" because she's so small, cute and well.. sometimes just acts like a hampster! Haha! It makes me laugh even just trying to explain it, because obviously no one else will understand the root of the humor in it, but I don't care!

I love my mom for so many reasons. She's hilarious, she's patient, she's humble, she puts everyone else first.. She's an amazing little cook who loves to walk around the kitchen on her tippy-toes.. she has always made each and every birthday beyond special with themed parties and celebrations.. she has created fun little traditions that we look forward to every holiday.. the list goes on and on and on. I can't even count how many times we've wet our pants laughing, or stayed up watching movies and being silly.

I'll never forget when we were young, she worked nights (getting home around midnight) and we would wait up for her over the summer -- One time, she promised me that we would go to Best Buy at midnight when Titanic was first released on VHS (I was obsessed with Titanic!). We planned to go as soon as she got home, so we could wait in line for the 2-tape 'special edition' copy and hopefully receive a calendar and a rinkydink collector's pin for being one of the first 100 people.

After working all night, she came home, we jumped in the car and rushed there. We waited in line forever and I actually made it in time to get the special free gifts! The moment was unreal. By the time we got home, it was probably 1:30am.. She was still willing to pull and all-nighter with me to enjoy my new excitement. I tore open the videos and stuck one in, to find out that I had grabbed a "widescreen" edition on accident. Aughh the devastation and tears!! I didn't want to gaze at Leo with the stupid black bars on the top and bottom of the screen! I wanted the fullscreen experience!! Instead of telling me we could go back later and try to exchange it, my mom was understanding enough to take me back to Best Buy that night, so I could whimperingly explain my misfortune to the return guy (who could care less). I finally made sure I had chosen the correct tapes and we headed back home for ice cream and Leonardo, despite how late it was. I will never forget that.

There are literally thousands of crazy memories I have shared with my mom, whether prying open the drive-thru windows when the cashier was nowhere to be found, or the times she would spend a little extra on a shirt I had to have if I 'promised not to tell Dad'. Times we would sing at the top of our lungs in the car and call into the oldies radio station to request songs.. garage sales and drive-in movies.. craft shows and school-supply shopping.. camping and driving me to my piano lessons.. scrapbooking and watching home videos.. I love my mom.

I feel even double-blessed to have an amazing mother-in-law as well! Anita reminds me of my mom in a lot of ways.. I sure love her too!