She is…

She is the epitome of what every woman should be.

She is classy, smart, industrious, hard working, funny, intuitive, confident, caring, nurturing, patient, generous, humble, well read, informed, positive, beautiful, a faithful soul who prayers daily, and is age defying in every way.

She is… our mother.

Growing up, my sisters and I nicknamed our father “Pressure” and Mama, “Precious.”

Today, we celebrate this Precious woman’s 89th year.

As we reflect on the lessons from this woman, our very best teacher in life, they are as vast as the ocean is deep.

She does not believe in boasting.  She just IS and she lets her essence speak for itself.

She does everything with passion.  Be it a home cooked meal – she says, “the eyes eat too”,  as presentation is as important as the taste.  The laundry must be folded properly, after all these years, I’m personally still trying to get those fitted sheets aligned as she does.

She doesn’t believe in complaining or having a pity party. She is optimistic, and constantly reminds us to have faith.

She is our counselor, and has been a selfless confidant, and co-parent of our children.  She was literally a Queen- for the Seattle Parade, commonly known as Seafair, and a model on the runway and in life.  She has traveled the world from Amsterdam to Africa.  She is wickedly wise and honest.  She will tell you the truth, even when it is painful to hear.  How many days have I heard, “Your mama ain’t gonna tell you wrong.”  As I head back to my closet to put on Spanx and change my attire.  She doesn’t suffer fools, and just has no tolerance for intolerance or as she says, “Common Sense ain’t so Common.”  She has wiped our tears and allayed our fears.  She’s tough, and there isn’t much that she hasn’t been through in these nearly 9 decades.  Divorce, loss of loved ones, health battles, disappointments, a Pandemic, business recessions, and life’s concessions when things just didn’t go as planned, however, she soldiers on. Because She IS. And today we celebrate all that She IS to all of us blessed to know her.

Daddy was a musician, and many years ago, his band wrote a song, called Love is Theresa.  She Is…LOVE