Thanks to my First Mom on my Birthday...

Dear Mom, Twenty-nine years ago you gave me the most precious gift I have ever received: life. Because of you, I have felt the thrill of existence I have laughed so hard that my stomach has hurt and tears have rolled down my cheeks. I have laid in the grass and felt the sun warm my face. I have hiked trails in the mountains and drunk in the silence of quiet. I have dreamt dreams and tasted the ecstasy of accomplishment. I have stayed up all night with friends and relived memories, laced with laughter. I have felt the embrace of family and security of being my dadŒs delight. I have tasted the salt in the ocean and been baptized by its waves. I have sung the songs of the angels and been hidden in the shadow of their wings. I have savored the exhilaration of knowledge and the joy of learning. I have run through fields of tall grass and felt the dew tickle my bare feet. I have loved deeply and been swallowed up with by its strength. On this day each year, I celebrate the love of my mother, whose courage afforded me- life. I love you. Stephanie