Happy Birthday Mom

When my mom turned 45, I told her she was halfway to 90. When she turned 48, I told her, "Nice job, you are halfway to 96."\nToday she turns 50, and I could be original and say, "Way to go, you're half a century old."\nInstead, I'm going to say, "Congratulations." The more I think about it, the more she should be praised for what she's been through in her 50 years.\nAnd why, you might ask, should she be congratulated?\n• Because she gave birth to a 10-pound baby boy, and followed that performance with a 10-pound redheaded girl and a nine-pound youngest daughter. Ouch.\n• Because she fed her youngest daughter in the middle of a Blackhawks hockey game, with two young children at her side and an arena full of drunken hockey fans.\n• Because she signed all of her children up in baseball, basketball, football, softball and dance lessons and managed to keep it all straight. There were no mess-ups in where the children should be and when.\n• Because for more than 13 years, both of her daughters took dance lessons, and she attended every dance recital, every convention and competition. Even when the performances turned into two- and three-night ordeals, she went to all of them, and videotaped the dress rehearsals.\n• Because she was at every school performance, science fair and sporting event she could manage. With three kids, she usually had to split her time between the games, but it was always split evenly, and she was always there.\n• Because despite how busy her children kept her, she managed a warm meal every night, a clean house and a garden.\n• Because she packed a lunch for each of her children every day until they went to high school, and even after that if they asked.\n• Because her husband was a sportswriter, which required him to travel with the sports team he covered. And when he went on road trips, she always packed his suitcase.\n• Because when her youngest child hit middle school, she returned to work. Just another addition to her busy schedule.\n• Because when her husband was diagnosed with cancer, she was by his side through every step of the ordeal and still managed to work, go to both daughters' softball games and talk to her son -- who was away at college -- every other night. Oh, and on Saturday's she was cheering on her beloved Michigan Wolverines in Ann Arbor.\n• Because when her husband died five years ago, she was left to handle the three children, two of which were teenage girls, a house, a mortgage and so on…But she was brave throughout the whole thing and continued on in the same strong-willed manner she had shown all her life.\n• Because even though it's been a struggle, she has put her two daughters through college and her son through law school.\n• Because she has yet to dye her hair, which is still its natural brown, even though most people would have pulled their hair out if they went through what she has.\n• Because even though she had a terror of a time dealing with her youngest daughter, she still loved and supported her, even when most people would have given up.\n• Because as much love as she showered her children with, she dotes on her baby grandson, making him possibly the most spoiled -- but adorable -- baby in the world.\n• Because she is 50 years old, has three college-educated children, two of which also have graduate degrees, had a happy and successful marriage, has a nice house, a good job, a lot of friends and a warm smile.\nCongratulations and happy birthday, Mom.