Happy Birthday Rita!

Today is my mother's birthday. 

She is 74 years young today. Most women would be pissed that I share their age with the world, not my mom. She's confident in who she is and proud of the life lived that created the few wrinkles she has. She's a role model, not just for me and my daughters and my sister, but for the thousands of children's whose life she touched. She is one of those amazing people that found what she was born to do. We should all be so lucky. That was be an educator. Her students were college students, adults getting their GED, high schoolers, elementary students. All colors, shapes, sizes, backgrounds, she loved them and they knew that in her they had THAT teacher, THEIR teacher. We all have them. The one that made the difference. The one that SAW us! The one that GOT us! 

She is the best grandmother. A master at canning, thanks to her mother! A beautifully creative person that I strive everyday to emulate. 

If you know her... wish her happy birthday. If you don't, call your mother and tell her you were thinking of her and wanted to say hi.