Milestone Mom Turns 85

My wonderful Mom turned 85 last week and I wanted to write a blog about her birthday. After mulling it over I decided to share a few small stories with you.

Mom had 5 children and each morning she would wake us all up in the most gentle manner – she would rub my forehead softly and whisper “Dolly, honey, wake up now”. (Mom has called me Dolly my whole life and is still doing it). Even as a small child I knew how special this was and continued it with my own children, waking them each day in a gentle manner.

Mom could take a giant Hershey’s candy bar and break it into five completely equal pieces and no matter how competitively we all examined it, it was always equal.

When I was named to the Homecoming Court in high school, Mom took me to buy a dress at the grandest shop in our town – “The Style Center” and even though the salesclerks were snooty to us, Mom rallied and bought me the most beautiful cream and green crepe dress which I still have today. I will never forget how proud she was of me that day and how happy I was in my beautiful dress.

On my wedding day, I returned home from helping to decorate the hall and Mom was in the living room ironing my wedding veil and softly crying. She was so happy for me and so emotional.

Mom loves to dance and nothing made her happier than a big ethnic party at the Greek Orthodox/Macedonian church. Mom would lead the dancers, waving a hanky in the air just as she did at my daughter’s wedding two years ago. Each time I see the video I smile broadly – my 83 year old mother dancing all night, waving her hanky in her pretty pink gown.

My mom loves what she calls her “scandal sheets” – the “National Enquirer” etc. and she never misses “Entertainment Tonight” either. She really does know all the famous gossip and love to share it. I swear that show “The Bachelor” makes her so happy she can hardly stand it, although she is NOT a fan of the recent Vienna choice. Mom also gets three newspapers a day along with countless magazines – my sister calls her house “The Library of Congress” and it truly is. When I visit Mom I don’t even bother to bring a book, she has so much there for me to read.

Mom’s social life is amazing. Each week of the month brings “dates” – the senior luncheon, bingo at The Moose, lunch with the girls she worked with 40 years ago – they call themselves the “J and F Cuties,” and she actually meets once a month with her HIGH SCHOOL FRIENDS. They celebrated their 65th reunion two years ago and of course Mom was on the committee. She goes “for her hair” each Friday and to church along with countless church events as well as to a weekly fish fry at the Slovak Home. She also goes to The Moose on Sundays in the fall to cheer on the Cleveland Browns. I am not actually even sure they are still called The Browns.

I know, as well as do my brothers and sister that we are truly blessed to still have such a healthy active mother. She is very funny, even when she isn’t trying to be and always, always interested in the life around her. Love you, Mom, you’re the best!