The greatest woman I know

Today is my mom's birthday.  She married right out of high school to her high school sweetheart of course.  She is incredibly smart and she wanted to be a teacher but she never went to college.  She had me a year after they got married and my sister C a year after that and my sister R three years after that.  She never worked outside the home except for a period of six months when she worked in a nursing home while my dad was laid off.  I'm not going to say she never worked because raising our family was hard work.  I didn't realize it then but I sure know it now.  She was wildly imaginative and we grew up with stories and fun play and Monty Python (thank you so much for my love of British tv) and singing crazy songs.  Even though we didn't have much money we had a happy childhood.  I know she had to push herself to give us this because the women in our family suffer from a genetic depressive disorder (which we only figured out when I was hospitalized for losing it) so she worked her ass off to make us happy when she was feeling miserable.   She is the most amazing woman.  She is the ultimate Nana to her grandchildren and great grandchildren and they love her like crazy.  She is supportive and caring and loving even if she doesn't agree with whatever is going on.   I am so honored to know her and to call her Mom.  I love you so much Mom.  Thank you for everything.  Happy Birthday!