My mama...

Every year my FT job gives us the week after Christmas off from work paid and not vaca, woot woot! ;) Most of the last few years I've been fortunate enough to participate in hectic, ever more time consuming air travel to spend that week in the much sunnier state of Arizona. I can't tell you how many times during the year I think to myself, "I really wish my mom lived here. I bet she'd want to run by the mall and look at _______ (leggings? boots? anything?)" But alas, her path took her to AZ while mine has kept me rooted in the county I was born and raised in. And now that I've been to Phoenix in the month of August (back in 2007) I can say that without a doubt, I'm a Pac NW girl. If life led my husband and I down a path the ended up in a sunnier or warmer place I'm certain I could adapt. ;)

One of the skills that I am constantly working on is understanding light and how to make it do what I want. I find myself often drawn to the concept of rim lighting. My mom makes it look good. :) Isn't she stunning? Can you believe she has a daughter that's 30?

So if the wrong person sees this I could be in trouble...

But that's okay, I've been in trouble before. ;) Right after Christmas (yes, I'm going still that far behind) I got to go to Arizona to spend a few days with my mom and grandma. My papa, uncle and auntie were there too, but I spent the most time with my mom and gram. One of the things my mom asked me to do while I was there was to shoot some pictures of her and her husband. That was interesting. ;) The sun was out in FULL FORCE which I'm not used to here in the great gray NW so I didn't get as much as I'd like. I did get this image of my mama that I just LOVE.

Isn't she gorgeous? You'd never guess from this image that she turns 50 in the near future would you???

About: Mom

I love my mama. And as much as I love her, I miss her. Now, it's nice to know that anytime Seattle is too cold I can find a plane ticket and head down to the warmer region of Phoenix, AZ. But, it means, I miss my mama. A lot. And my grandma, my papa, my great-aunt, my uncle... Basically my mom's whole family. I am glad they're together at least. My mom is a pretty special gal... We had a really rough patch that started when I was 13 and didn't *really* end until I was 23. I'm guessing that's relatively normal right??? ;)

My mom had already moved to Arizona by the time I got engaged. I was SO EXCITED to get married. I called my mom every day to every other day for 15 MONTHS. I'm sure there were days that she would have preferred I not call and yak her ear off for 2 hours about favors, table decor, dresses, etc. If there were, she never let on! She was extraordinarily patient with me. I am so, so thankful that we got through the rough decade to the place we are today. My mom is one of my best and dearest friends. I love that. I love her. This song always reminds me of my early childhood before mom went to work -

Somebody's Hero by Jamie O'Neal

She's never pulled anyone from a burning building
She's never rocked Central Park to a half a million fans, screaming out her name
She's never hit a shot to win the game
She's never left her footprints on the moon
She's never made a solo hot air balloon ride, around the world,
No, she's just your everyday average girl (but)

She's somebody's hero
A hero to her baby with a skinned up knee
A little kiss is all she needs
The keeper of the cheerios
The voice that brings Snow White to life
Bedtime stories every night
And that smile lets her know
She's somebody's hero

oh oh
She didn't get a check every week like a nine-to fiver
But she's been a waiter, and a cook and a taxi driver
For twenty years, there at home, until the day her girl was grown
Giving all her love to her was her life's ambition
But now her baby's movin' on, and she'll soon be missin' her
But not today, those are tears of joy runnin' down her face

She's somebody's hero
A hero to her daughter in her wedding dress
She gave her wings to leave the nest
It hurts to let her baby go down the aisle she walks right by
Looks back into her mother's eyes
And that smile lets her know oh oh oh
She's somebody's hero

Thirty years have flown right past
Her daughters' starin' at all the photographs
Of her mother, and she wishes she could be like that
Oh, but she already is

She's somebody's hero
A hero to her mother in a rockin' chair
She runs a brush through her silver hair
The envy of the nursing home
She drops by every afternoon
Feeds her mother with a spoon
And that smile lets her know oh oh
Her mother's smile lets her know oh oh
She's somebody's hero