mom's milestone birthday

Today is my mom's birthday
and I will add
It is a BIG one
Not the big ONE--cuz if she was only ONE i would not be here.
But this is a birthday that is a marker in the measuring stick of life...
one that is normally viewed as...
do i dare say
{{{{ShUdDeR}}}
OLD???
I know my mom is, lets say "taken back" by the fact that she has hit this milestone in her life. But the reality of it is, she has kids that are on the back side of their forties (not me though) and she has grand kids that are in their twenties--and unfortunately for her we waited until the year she turned 50 to give her those grand kids...

(this picture was from her birthday three years ago-- mom looks pretty much the same, but my how the kids have changed)

I don't think of my mom as OLD
--maybe just OLDER--
but then again she has always been OLDER than me--
that is sorta how it works when you are the kid.

Actually I think of my mom in her forties
I guess that is really how i remember her best,

since that was the age she was in when i was growing up--
but now i am in my forties--
I am the mom--
actually I have become my MOM--

well not as totally awesome as she is
but I am trying...
but this post is NOT about ME.
It is about my MOM
And MILESTONES.

So what can I say about 70?
Yes mom is turning 70--
I hope she is NOT offended by the fact that i am posting this for the blog world to see....
--because the truth of the matter is--
she DEFIES the stereotype of what 70 is supposed to be,

or at least what i think 70 should be
She is amazing.
At 70 she still gets up (well actually most people get up, unless the are dead)
but she goes out and tries to instill some of her wealth of knowledge on the youth of today. And some of the youth of today think they know it all (they will soon learn they don't)--and i love the fact that she battles with them--It would be so easy to just give up--but what she has to offer will change their lives if they let it. I love that she is still excited about what she is teaching, and is constantly finding new ways to inspire and educate. Dare i say that most people her age are DONE with that part of their lives. Most are content to reminisce about the things of the past and gripe about the youth of today--but there is my mom on her 70Th birthday

--at work--

making a difference.

I will also go on the record as saying
for a 70 year old
she looks pretty darn good!
Many of my friends can hardly believe she is 70!?!?
She is also pretty spry for a 70 year old

(i think you have to use the word spry when you are talking about a 70 year old)

but perhaps i could use the words

Agile, Alert,Energetic,Full of Pep,Nimble,

On the Go,Quick,Spirited...

Any of the above words would fit...
Just last summer we hiked Multnomah Falls in Oregon--
(on the spur of the moment)

It was a blast.
She scurried up the mountain--
dragging my sad butt along.
I would almost say i was slug like,
but after seeing this slug
and seeing how ugly and truly slow it moved, i decided i did not want to be compared to a slug...

When i would get tired I would pause and take pictures along the way

It is amazing how you can use a camera to catch your breath...

or use your camera to take your breath away

We had a great time--
a beautiful day spent together
and in true teenage fashion we paused to take aim with my camera--
Pointing it up in the air and squeezing together
we were hoping for a shot with us and the falls in it
What we got was this....

Meet our new friend.
We call him random man.
It made for a great laugh.

I love my mom--
she continually amazes me.
She is a wealth of knowledge.
She is my greatest cheerleader--
She is ALWAYS there when i need her
or when my kids need her.
I know that the calender says 70...
but i say
THINGS ONLY GET BETTER WITH AGE!!!
Love you mom