Osty's Ventures: Happy 80th Birthday, Mom!!

     Today is my mother's 80th birthday, so I want to wish her a wonderful day with our family. I am very sad that the circumstances turned out the way they did, and the birthday gathering was changed to this weekend instead of Christmas Eve.  WE SO WANT TO BE THERE, mom!!! Knowing that Darrell and I are not there is heartbreaking on your special day, but we want to wish you the most blessed birthday ever.
     Mom, you have been an amazing source of strength, love, compassion, and generosity for so many years. You worked nights as a surgical nurse, full-time, so you could be with all six of us before we left for school and after we came home from school. I am truly amazed by that!! You always made sure that we had a healthy breakfast before leaving for school, and you were always making after school snacks (homemade, of course) or starting dinner.  So many times we started on our homework to the smell of chocolate chip or peanut butter cookies baking in the oven.
     No matter how tired you were and knowing that you had to go to work each night, you carved out a few hours each evening to make sure that you assisted us with our homework, went through the bedtime ritual (baths & books), and only once in awhile, was it possible for you to sneak a 30 minute nap in before you had to get ready for another night at the hospital.
     I can still vividly remember the smell of your lotion that you put on (Silicone Glove by Avon) as I handed you your white nurse's uniform. Then you would always pop a peppermint Lifesaver into your mouth and give one to me (and sometimes Steven) as well. Mom, you've made a lifetime of helping and serving others before yourself. I don't know how you did it, but I will be forever grateful!!

My mother (in the orange dress) with her two sisters, Leone & Leta, and her father and mother celebrating at a family member's wedding...the late '60s/early '70s based on the clothing and glasses :0)