Yesterday was my Mom's birthday. Mom was born January 15, 1941. You do the math. Almost a year later, Japan would attack Pearl Harbor and Pepaw (Mom's Dad) would enlist in the Navy. My mom was a baby during the second world war. She was a teenager in the 1950s, bee-bopping to the tunes of Elvis and first hand witness to school desegregation. When the sixties rolled around, she would become a wife and mother. She's seen a lot. She's done a lot. And she's still doing and seeing a lot.

If I had to describe my mom in one word, it would be resourceful. She can turn a simple bean into a magical beanstalk. When mom wasn't working a full time job, she was crafting up a storm and selling her crafts in craft fairs all around Oklahoma. She could make an exact replica of any costume even if it had been sketched by a five year old. I had doll dresses for my dolls that matched my dresses. She turned an old kettle drum into a planter in the front yard. She invented hose gloves (special gloves you wore while putting on your panty hose so you wouldn't accidentally poke a finger nail through them). And probably every woman at our old church had a Christmas pin pinned to their coat that was made by Mom. All she needed to make one was a bit of white felt, a twig of holy and her glue gun. She is the MacGyver of crafts. In fact, when I called her yesterday morning, she was in the middle of hanging a cabinet door back onto her kitchen cabinets. She'd taken it off the day before to paint it. I am thankful for Mom's resourcefulness. I have benefited from many a magical beanstalks.  I am grateful for her lessons in creativity. She was my first art teacher. I am also thankful and fortunate that Mom is still reasonably healthy so she can keep on keeping on.

I have walked miles and miles this week and I'm thankful for each one. I am thankful for the sunlight that spilled onto my yoga mat while I was practicing yoga. I am thankful that the tofu taco recipe I made up in my head turned out to be a winner especially with a member of the household who is a big tofu hater. I am thankful for the puppy play pen Bec gave us just because she thought we could use it. It's fifty degrees outside right this minute and I am so thankful for that. I might just go put on shorts (not really). I am thankful for that day this week where the Jens and I spent an afternoon sending silly facebook "stickers" back and forth in chat. Seriously ya'll, I am (as always) super duper thankful for all of you. 

Here's to a blessed weekend and a wonderful Thankful Friday!