Latest Post | Last 10 Posts | Archives
Previous Post: The harsh reality of irresponsible ideas
Next Post: Some progress, some not so much
Posted in:
* My mom’s birthday is today. She’s had a pretty rough couple of months since my dad’s stroke and I feel bad that I cannot be there with her on her special day.
My mom almost always worked while we were growing up. She was a social worker, then a school teacher, then was employed by the Department of Defense and had a high security clearance. She is the reason we were able to live in Europe. Mom’s a brilliant person. Her IQ dwarfs mine and pretty much everyone else I know. She graduated from college in three years and finished second in her class, all with two babies at home and one more on the way. Yet, for all that, she has been the best mom anyone could ever ask for and we never wanted for attention.
When she was with the DoD, she often had to work late, but would regularly come home at lunch and make us a pie and get dinner ready so that when we got home from school we’d have something to eat. She loves crafts, and we spent countless hours being entertained with her projects for us. She was a committed teacher and instilled a curiosity about the world into her children. We mostly flew through school because of her work with us.
Mom taught all of her five sons to cook, sew, do laundry and generally take care of ourselves. She has always been a feminist without the dogma. Women should work hard and then naturally expect to get ahead just like men. And men needed to step up and take responsibility at home. End of story. She took a lot of flak from the far too prevalent insensitive old boy clods in the military, but she kept plugging away and retired at a high rank.
Mom has a great sense of humor, even though she can’t tell a joke to save her life. She dotes on her grandchildren, she worries over her sons, she spoils her husband (rotten, at times) and she has welcomed all of her daughters-in-law into the family with open arms. My wife calls her “Mom” for a reason. She’s just as much a mother to Wasan as my wife’s own mom. That means more to Wasan and myself than you could imagine.
We were all exchanging birthday greetings via e-mail today and Mom responded…
I always thought when I reached the ripe old age of 67 I would feel old and change somehow. But that isn’t true. Why is it when we see older people we think they have no more hopes and dreams? Take it from me that they do have hopes and dreams albeit a bit different ones than a 20, 30, 40 year old.
Today I hope for a full recovery for your Dad and no more strokes. He is doing well and even went out to get the newspaper for the first time today. Later he will go with me to see [grandson] Ryan’s circus program at school. That would not have been possible only one short week ago.
Today I hope for good health and increased prosperity for my kids and grandkids. And I hope that they realize how truly lucky they are to have all that they have—remembering material goods are not the only measure of success. Keep in mind if you have everything you always wanted, there would be no more need to dream.
Today I hope for a more tolerant society where everyone’s dreams can be achieved.
Today I hope, as I have hoped all my life, for a better way to solve a problem than with guns and war.
And to lighten things up a little, today I hope that the idiots in Springfield can pass a budget that will get our State out of a shameful financial mess. That one is about as likely to happen as world peace.
Have a great day.
A very wise and wonderful woman, don’t you think?
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 10:45 am
Sorry, comments are closed at this time.
Previous Post: The harsh reality of irresponsible ideas
Next Post: Some progress, some not so much
WordPress Mobile Edition available at alexking.org.
powered by WordPress.
Rich,
As the father of a little girl who will be the first woman president, I see your Mom’s accomplishments and I know my daughter can do anything she puts her mind to! Best of Birthday wished to your Mom!
Comment by Knome Sane Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 10:48 am
of course I meant to write “birthday wishes”….
Comment by Knome Sane Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 10:49 am
Happy birthday, Rich’s mom!
Comment by Linus Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 10:49 am
Five boys and a husband? Lady, you must be a saint.
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 10:53 am
Haha, that was awesome. Happy Birthday Mrs. Miller.
Comment by Kevin Fanning Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 10:58 am
===I hope that the idiots in Springfield can pass a budget that will get our State out of a shameful financial mess.===
Amen.
Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 11:04 am
All those men in the house…lotsa smelly socks!
Your Mom sounds like a wise and wonderful woman.
No one loves you like your Mom!
Comment by Loop Lady Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 11:04 am
Rich:
A wonderful segment and great reflections from a wonderful lady. Made me miss the two Moms in my life a little too
Happy Bday Mrs. M.!
Comment by Steve Brown Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 11:06 am
I think there is no better complement and indication of how wonderful your mother is than that your wife calls her mom. That is special.
Happy Birthday Ms CapFaxBlogMom!
Comment by dupage dan Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 11:09 am
Rich, very touching. Like someone else said, your post made me miss my mom too. Gonna give her a call tonight.
Happy B-day Mrs. M!
Comment by Downers Delight Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 11:18 am
Happy birthday Mrs. Miller! We’ve met before, at one of Rich’s weddings. I can’t remember which one, but Rich could probably tell you. He can also tell you who I am.
Comment by Dead Head Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 11:23 am
Happy Birthday Mrs. Miller!
Ever think about running for the GA?
Comment by Small Town Liberal Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 11:25 am
STL, let’s not give her any ideas, OK? lol
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 11:26 am
Hey, she sounds like she might actually be able to get some things done, she’d have my vote if I lived in her district.
Comment by Small Town Liberal Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 11:27 am
When I read my 60s I would hope to have your mother’s optimism. Happy birthday!
Comment by Levois Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 11:33 am
happy birthday to your mom, and thanks Rich for such a nice post on her. she’s awesome!
Comment by Amalia Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 11:39 am
Most excellent dude! With her birthday so close to Mother’s day, I hope she gets the full treatment both days….: )
Comment by RobRoy Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 11:49 am
She sounds brilliant!
A very happy birthday to an ageless lady!
Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 11:56 am
Rich-
Yes, your mom is an absolutely wonderful and amazing woman
In particular her statement of: “remembering material goods are not the only measure of success. Keep in mind if you have everything you always wanted, there would be no more need to dream. ”
MP
Comment by Marta Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 11:56 am
Happy Birthday Ms. Miller!
Comment by A.B, Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 11:56 am
Happy Birthday, Mrs. Miller! We May babies have to stick together. Rich, your Mom is truely a jewel and like many others who have posted, I miss mine as well.
Comment by Intersted Observer Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 12:21 pm
Happy Birthday Mrs. Miller. What an amazing example you have set. Does it occur to anyone else that Mrs. M. just today has reached the age at when, if a state employee hired as of next year, she would finally be old enough to retire with full benefits? In that context, that just doesn’t seem right.
Comment by girllawyer Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 12:33 pm
Gee Rich your mom sounds great. She must worry to no end about the quality of people you hang around with. I suppose its better than covering City Hall.
Comment by What's in a name? Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 12:34 pm
That was very nice. Thanks for sharing, Rich, and an awesomely blessed birthday to your mom.
Comment by God's Country Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 12:35 pm
You and I were blessed with having wonderful mothers. So many of my contemporaries complain about what a burden their mothers are. I was always proud to bring my friends home to meet my mother because she was so warm and friendly to them. She died after losing two husbands,both parents and her siblings but never lost her sense of humor or warmth.
Comment by Gathersno Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 12:50 pm
Rich, thanks for posting. Other than my wife and son, my two favorite people on this earth are my mom and my grandma. Now that I’m a parent, I realize why my mom’s hair went gray so early and why my grandma’s hair also went gray so early. Words or a $3 card can never express to mom on her birthday or Mother’s Day just how much she means to us and how much we love her.
Comment by Team Sleep Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 12:51 pm
Happiest of Birthdays, Mrs. Miller! What a wonderful, wonderful family you’ve raised!
Comment by The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 12:52 pm
Rich, I see where you get your gift for words - your mom is a very eloquent woman. I agree with the poster who said that she should get the full treatment on both her birthday and Mother’s Day. None of those “two-fer” celebrations that combine two occasions into one (like those people whose birthdays fall on Christmas).
She sounds like an absolute gem. Happy Birthday, Mrs. Miller, and best wishes to your husband for continued progress in his recovery.
Comment by Anonymous ZZZ Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 1:15 pm
Happy Birthday to you, Mrs. Miller (aka Rich’s Mom)!
May every wish of yours be fulfilled in your lifetime, and may that life be a long and happy one.
Comment by Matt Penning Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 1:19 pm
What a wonderful tribute to a wonderful woman. Thank you for sharing her with us.
Comment by Ann Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 1:27 pm
What an absolutely wonderful woman! Have a happy birthday & Mother’s Day, Mrs. Miller!
Comment by littleone Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 1:36 pm
Thanks Rich for your beautiful bouquet of words!!! And thanks to your readers for their best wishes and comments. I appreciate them very much.
Comment by Mom Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 2:55 pm
“Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies”
Apparently Mr. Miller was able to do so!
A very happy birthday AND Mother’s day.
Comment by Pat Collins Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 2:55 pm
How is it that Mothers are always so much wiser than their children? Mine is and yours, too, Rich. Happy Birthday and Mother’s Day to her and all Mothers. If only they ran the government!
Comment by D.P. Gumby Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 5:07 pm
A wonderful woman, to be sure. Only 67? How young are you Rich?
Comment by justfedup Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 5:16 pm
Rich, don’t even think about not going to see your Mom on Sunday!
Comment by Retired Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 6:29 pm
Happy Birthday, Mrs. Miller! Rich, thanks for sharing such a lovely birthday tribute about your Mom with us and her poignant response. Yes, she definitely does sound wise and wonderful!
Comment by Laura Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 8:01 pm
As one of the daughter-in-laws, I have to express my gratitude to the orginal Mrs. Miller for one of the sons, that eventually become my husband (Douglas). She and Mr. Miller raised 5 wonderful boys that became 5 wonderful men. I have been blessed with the best in-laws. It’s the birthdays and the mother’s days, that make us recognize them with Hallmark Cards…however, it will never be enough…they can’t design a card…they can’t write a song about Mrs. Miller. She is the saint, that someone mentioned above…she is the smartest person I have met…she is the best Grandma I could of asked for our children…she is…my mother-in-law!!!
Happy Birthday, Mrs. Miller from Mrs. Miller
Comment by Shannon Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 9:08 pm
Rich’s Mom,
Bless you, Happy Birthday
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 6, 10 @ 10:59 pm