Happy Birthday, Mum!

Today is my Mum's birthday.  She taught me many things... about being a mother, a wife, a woman & a person.  Here are my top FIVE in no particular order:

Have adventures.

I grew up sailing the South Pacific, riding the trains of India, cruising the Caribbean, navigating the Needles and the English Channel, braving the wilds of the northern BC coast and more all thanks to my Mum {& Dad}.  I haven't been as bold as my parents were but we do travel with our kids, take them out to fancy restaurants {which can be quite the "adventure"}, and look forward to taking the road less traveled.

{ sailing off the Isle of Wight, England }

Set the table for dinner.
Even if it's just a regular Tuesday night dinner of spaghetti & apple juice.  Light candles, put out placemats.  Set the table.  It makes you stop, enjoy your food & each other.  The same goes for your home.  Put out flowers.  Hang up your kids' artwork {or yours}.  It doesn't have to be perfect.  But it will make your house a home.

{ rustic meal with blooms from the garden}

Don't finish your kids' food.

Basically:  you are not a garbage can!!  Garbage in; garbage out {or on the hips!}.  If you want a treat, have your own & enjoy it.  Food is not to be avoided but to be savoured.  

Go on dates with your husband.

When we lived in Oona River, my mum's friend, Sharlane, would come & watch us so Mum could go on 'crabbing dates' with Dad.  They went out on the Distant Drummer, my parents' fishing boat, and spend the afternoon crabbing together off Porcher Island.  A date doesn't have to mean spending a wagonload on dinner out {while that's always very nice!}.  My kids will grow up and move out & I don't want to look across the table at my husband & not know each other anymore.

{ me & Craig }

{ Mum & Dad }

Pray.
When in doubt, worried, scared, happy, concerned, puzzled.... WHATever:  PRAY.  God is listening & the answer will come.  Not always the answer you want but your prayers will be answered.  I like Annie Lammot's thoughts on prayer.  She says all her prayers {mine too} come under the "help me... help me... help me..." or "thank YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!" variety.  Yup.  Pretty much.

Happy Birthday Mama-Doo.  I love you.  You are the best mummy in the whole world.