Happy Birthday to my sweet Yommy!

I have a Mommy and I am lucky enough to also have a Yommy. (Your Other Mommy). And my sweet Yommy is marking another precious year on her calendar today! WhooHoo! Let me take a moment to let you know why this woman is so terrific and I can't possibly imagine my life without her. First of all, she gave birth to the man of my dreams 36 years ago. He wasn't exactly a "dream" from the very beginning, but all good things improve with age, right? By the time he walked into my life he had been through the ringer and put everyone else through it too, so all that was left for me was sunshine, love and 5 babies! Thank you, Yommy, for my Blake. I still get so tickled when I think about you and my mom walking around the planet, pregnant at the same time! So sweet.

Ok, another wonderful thing about my Yommy is that she has been my friend for over 13 years. Before I could even "claim" Blake as mine, she became my confidant and fellow schemer. We would laugh together, go shopping together and dream together about the possibility that I might become her daughter-in-love. She has such an amazing eye for beauty and I loved her lovely gift shop. She was such a hard worker and yet, she knew how to have a good time and shop, shop, shop. Did I mention, shop?

After Blake and I married, and she had lavished her generosity on us for our engagement and bridal showers and such, she and Papa helped us get camping gear and gave us money for the honeymoon that would not have been, if it weren't for her and other family members pitching in. She has always been so giving to us. I can remember water heaters being bought, maternity clothes appearing out of thin air, our van paid off when we bought our first home, school loans covered when the birth of our first child was announced, and so much more. Yommy, I remember it all and I am so grateful to you and Papa.

Then came the ultimate sacrifice...Inviting us to live in their home 2 weeks before Reuben showed up. We were there for 16 months and if you are familiar at all with the Odd Couple story, Felix and Oscar, well, that was Yommy and me. She was the clean and tidy Felix, while I was a plain slob...Okay, okay, so I am being a bit hard on myself. I was a newlywed with a new child and not a lot of "skills" in the home-ec department. Let's just say I signed up for that class in Jr. High, but they gave me woodshop instead.

Yommy was so good. I knew I was not keeping her basement up to the standard of the rest of the house, but she never said one thing to me! She was a little miffed when I managed to spill Reuben's liquid Vitamins all over their WHITE couch, but she held in her fury. And the day I moved out...We suddenly became Friends with a capital F again! Amazing how that happens! Thanks, Yommy, for being so gracious and willing to live with a messy daughter-in-law. I am still trying to get this crazy mess under control, but you and I know that I have other giftings....Lets just leave it at that, okay?

My Yommy is an adventure seeker. She goes on cruises...Not just to sit on the boat and veg and pig out, but to go DIVING! Oh my, she is so brave! She even visited Papua New Guinea last winter! She had her photo taken with men in war paint and loin cloths!

My Yommy likes a good challenge, will hike or bike or swim or work out at the Y. She will try a new palates class or ski Whistler. She even has a Kayak in my garage awaiting her mastery! Geesh. And they call this girl a Grandma! My Yommy is so young at heart and she is determined to stay that way. I think this is a terrific example for me and all women. The minute you start acting old, you will be old. The minute you allow your world to shrink down to a two bedroom home and a TV, that minute you stop living and you start merely existing. I like your way better, Yommy. Go for it and take lots of photos along the way.

Speaking of photos, my Yommy is a digital photo taking queen! She travels all over and takes amazing shots of doorways and windows and architecture. She captures color and textures and she blows these beautiful images up and frames them and gives them away! She not only enjoys her photography, but she takes pride in it and she is terrific!

And the best reason I love my Yommy, besides her honesty, her gentleness, her sincerity and her love for life, is her undying love for my babies. She will come over at literally a moments notice, and hang with the kidos, do homeschooling with them, fix them lunch, and fill their love tanks up with lots and lots of love. She and Papa even ditched their long time retirement ideas of living on the water in Skagit County, to move to Marysville and be close to the Grans! What people! She and Papa spend hours with the kids. They will come by and pick up a few and take some to the Y or to the movies or biking or hiking. They will come over and SIT ON THE FLOOR and play games or read books or color! If you want to see Yommy light up, you just give her an ABC workbook and a Kindergarten aged grandchild and away she goes! She is a born teacher.

Well all this to say, simply, that I love you Yommy. I want the world to know how much I love you. I love it when you are happy. I love it when you are crying because someone you love is hurting or gone. I love to see the range of emotions that make you, you. I even love to see you when you are mad at some contractor or sales guy...Boy can you put them in their place...I wish I could stand up for myself like you do. I just love all that you are. Your funny quirks, your perfectly clean and spotless house (how does she do it?), and your sticky notes. I even love your 3x5 card boxes!

I hope you all know a little more about my Yommy and I hope you all will join me in wishing her a Blessed and Happy Birthday! Jodie Anne Paine...We even share the same initials and the same middle and last names! I am honored to be in your life and I wish you many, many, many more years of true living!



Love, Jules