10 Things I've Learned From My Mom

In honor of Mother’s Day I decided it was time for another 10 things post.  Today, obviously, 10 things I’ve learned from my mom…

1.  The importance of an every day call home to check in…several times.  If I don't remember to complete this task on my own, my mom will remind me.  A morning never goes by when I don't have a "good morning" text within the first hour and a half of my day.  

2.  Lipstick is that important.  My whole life people have made fun of me for my lipstick application.  But my mom is right, it makes all the difference.  

3.  You’re never too old to chase your dreams.  New dreams, old dreams, it doesn't matter.  Chase them.

4.  There is nothing wrong with coming home from a long day at work and changing right into your PJs. And if there is something wrong with it, we don't want to know.  Right, mom?

5.  Never underestimate the power of a Diet Coke.  Not Pepsi.  Coke.

6.  Always have a plan.  And a back-up plan.  And make a list.  I'm so glad she's on my wedding planning team.  What a great MOB she is proving to be.  

7.  No distance is ever too far when someone you love needs you.  For the last seven years of my life, I've lived six hours away from my mom, but it's never felt that far.  She's always here when I need her.  

8.  Being an aunt is one of the coolest jobs in the world.  She goes above and beyond for her nieces and nephews, and they adore her for it.  I can't wait to put everything I've learned from her into action.  

9.  Beauty comes with age.  She is literally more beautiful today than she was yesterday.  I pray I look like her when I'm her young age of 35.  

10.  You can never love someone too much.  So love them.  Love people with everything you have.  For as long as you can.  And make sure they know how much you love them.

For A Pretty Special Mom...

One of my favorite blogs recently started something I am quite excited about…a weekly writer’s workshop.  I am constantly looking for inspiration and motivation when it comes to my posts and this workshop will ensure that, at least once a week, I have something to write about.  So, in the spirit of trying something new, today’s post will be a response to a prompt courtesy of Little Things and Curiosities…here goes!

Prompt: Pick one specific thing that fascinates you about a mother in your life, whether that's your mom, a friend's mom, a grandma, an aunt, a sister, a neighbor, whoever. Let the writing flow in a natural direction, but keep that one special thing in mind as you go along.

Every year around this time I like to recognize my mom.  Last year I wrote my mother’s day post several days before I actually posted it because I wanted to make sure it was perfect.  And, if I’m being completely honest, I’ve already started working on this year’s Mother’s Day post as well.  But this, this is not that post. 

This is a post for a mom I’ve had the privilege to get to know recently.  A woman I've come to admire.  This is a post for the mother of the man I love, the man that I get to marry.  This is a post for my future mother-in-law, and what a lucky daughter-in-law I will be. 

When I was little and I imagined the family that I would marry into, I never even got close to imagining what has become a reality for me.  As an only child, I dreamed of having brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law and nieces and nephews.  But I never imagined how wonderful my parents-in-law could be, and I certainly never imagined that I would be treated so much like a part of the family so quickly and welcomed so openly. 

Stacy has made that happen for me.  She is a mom who loves her sons so deeply that her love spills over onto the women they love.  When I first got to watch her interact with her only current daughter-in-law, I was in awe of the relationship they had.  I couldn’t wait to be on the receiving end of all that love and friendship.  And then I blinked and I was there too.  Literally, all I did was blink.    

Stacy is a woman with a gift for making you feel at home.  She is a letter writer...a lost art that still lives at the tip of her pen.  She sends me cards “just because” and page-long notes to congratulate me on my engagement to her son.  She sends hand-written thank-yous and colorful thinking of yous.  She sends picture texts with the caption, “I bought us all beach bags” and voicemails saying “Happy Valentine’s Day”.  I save them all.  I hang what I can on my refrigerator to remind me of the wonderful family I am about to get to call my own.  And each time I see them or read them or listen to them, all I can do is smile.  I smile because not only am I blessed enough to have an incredible mother of my own, but I get to call another incredible woman my mother-in-law.  And having a mother-in-law that you not only like, but love, well, I’ve heard that’s pretty awesome.

Steel Magnolias and Strong Mommas

            In the last week, I have watched Steel Magnolias twice.  It’s just one of those movies that doesn’t get old.  It had been awhile since I had last seen it, and watching it again I cackled at Ouiser’s sarcastic remarks and sobbed right alongside M’Lynn.  That’s the mark of a good movie: one that can make you feel the same way you felt the first time you watched it every single time. 

            As I watched it last weekend, it got me thinking about the characters and which one was my favorite.  Most people would say the comic reliefs like Ouiser or Clairee, but not me.  My heart went with M’Lynn from the very beginning.  And as I thought about why, I was struck with the resounding thought that M’Lynn’s relationship with Shelby is a mirror of the one I have with my own mother.  And what better day to explore that connection than today?

            From the opening scene on the morning of Shelby’s wedding I could see pieces of my momma and me shining through the screen.  As Shelby nagged M’Lynn all morning about this, that, and the other, and M’Lynn dished it right back out, I could hear the argumentative banter that happens when momma and I disagree.  Not that we constantly argue, but there is just something about being around the person who knows everything about you and loves you just the same that makes you comfortable saying how you feel, ya know? 

            The similarities just kept appearing as the movie rolled on.  Now, don’t get me wrong, my mom and I have never been through half the things Shelby and M’Lynn went through, but that’s why I was really hit with the wall of emotions.  The thing is, I have no doubt that if things were to play out in our lives the way they did in the movie, well, let’s just say Joy and M’Lynn would have been one and the same. 

            Not to be especially morbid on a day that is supposed to be celebrating our mother’s and the love we have for them.  On the contrary, I am trying to point out just how lucky I am.  Here we have a mother so wonderful and so perfect (and completely fictional) that she is depicted on a movie screen, and that is the precise woman who reminds me of my own real-life, living and breathing mother.  She is a woman who stands strong when everyone around her is falling apart, who steps in when the world is walking out, a woman who puts all her own needs aside to tend to those who need a hand, whether it’s because life as they know it has just been shattered or just because they need a friend. 

            My mother, who is capable of crafting pinpoint perfect advice without having to memorize it from a script; who would gladly give me a kidney if I needed it.  As a matter of fact, I’m quite certain she would give me anything I needed, anytime, anywhere.  When it comes to mothers, my momma breaks the mold.  Not many people are as self-less as she is.  And when you watch a woman like her put everyone else’s needs ahead of her own over and over again, not just those of her child, but those of her husband, sisters, brother, parents, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends, well then I just had to take a moment to tell her that, in my eyes, she is not just the picture of a perfect mother, but a perfect woman as well.  I can only hope to grow into a fraction of the woman she is.  I feel blessed knowing what a gift she has been in my life, and I feel honored knowing what a wonderful grandmother she will one day be to my children.  I honestly couldn’t ask for anyone better, not even a famous actress who portrays the perfect picture of a strong Southern woman.  

For God and Country

It always amazes me how much can happen in a single weekend when you break free from your routine. One sad event led my parents and me away from sunny Florida for the weekend and up to the always hospitable land of Bluegrass for a weekend filled with so much more than we anticipated.
My dad’s grandmother passed away last Thursday after a long and vibrant 102 years of life. She was a truly beautiful woman with a spirit that touched many and a legacy that lives on through her three daughters, 16 grandkids, over 50 great-grandkids, and some great-great grandkids to boot. There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that my Gram will always be remembered.
There is also no doubt in anyone’s mind that when Bunnings get together chaos and laughter ensues. Even in moments of sadness we manage to bring joy and silliness to everyone around us. Throw in a couple other families and it’s bound to be an occasion to remember. I got to meet family members I have never met before, and there were pictures courtesy of my cousin, Erin Blinn (and when I say pictures I mean a full on photo session because it is oh so rare when we are all under one roof).
After we had all finished celebrating the life that brought us all together, it was yet again time to say goodbye. This is always quite a production when you have 50 people to hug. But, eventually, the Bill Bunnings and the Mark Bunnings were all in tow and en route to Lexington for a relaxing afternoon before an exciting evening (I swear there is never a dull moment when you get us Bunnings together). So, after a quick pull through the McDonald’s drive-thru to get five Diet Cokes, we were all happy campers and ready for round two.
That evening, the six of us donned our cocktail dresses and sport coats and headed to downtown Lexington for the Lincoln Day Dinner (thrown by the GOP and honoring my Grandpa). We all got to meet the up-and-comings in Kentucky politics and enjoy a delicious meal while listening to hilarious and heartfelt stories about “The Big Right-Hander.” We heard stories about “Buckles Bunning,” Yogi Berra and beating reporters on the head with the Courier Journal. It was quite an experience to hear so many nice things about my grandfather and all the great things he has done for our country throughout his 30 years of public service.
Finally, it was time for my first Lexington night-scene experience. The Mark Bunnings had raved all weekend about the Penguin, a dueling piano bar. From the moment I walked in I was entranced. I had never been to any establishment quite like it before, and I sang and danced along until my heart was content (many of you can probably imagine this scene quite easily). It always shocks me how you have to go a little north to find the South. Southern gentlemen were a plenty this weekend, something rare and unusual down in Gainesville. I must say I could get used to the treatment.
But now, Sunday (Happy Mother’s Day, Momma!), and the 12-hour trip home commences. I am sad to leave behind the family that always reminds me a little more of who I am and where I come from. I am going to miss the plush pillows and cloud-like comforter, the way the wood floor creaks as you tip-toe down the hall, the cool breeze that makes it, not just pleasant, but magnificent, to sit outside and have a delicious dinner on the patio. I know the fireflies will be there soon, and I can only hope I will make it back to see them before they leave once again.

Love is in the Air

Love was in the air today at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens: two beautiful brides were glowing as they glided around the rose bushes. There were even some prom-goers out and about taking pictures beneath the arbors. Even the flowers were exceptionally gorgeous today, as they had just had a refreshing splash of rainwater to make them glisten.

Even though there was a tiny bout of rain in the late afternoon, the morning was sunny and warm, and I finally had the chance to get out by the pool. It was so nice to have time to sleep in and lounge around. I am definitely looking forward to another day off tomorrow, but I wish I could be with my mom on Mother's Day. I hope she has a wonderful day!