Here’s to You, Mom!

TIME is precious! And I recently experienced one glorious week on the Southeast Coast with my family…Mom, Donna, Laurie, Stacy and me. We had planned this trip for more than a year. Our first ever Mother-Daughter vacation, just us girls. The occasion? Well, mom turned 90 years old on April 14^th. And we intended to celebrate for an entire week! Mom has had on her bucket list to visit Savannah and Charleston, so we checked off both bucket items in one fell swoop!

Born and raised in Southern California, mom has the beach in her blood and she craves getting her feet in the sand at least once a year. It’s usually in California, an easy drive from Arizona. But this year we took her feet to the warm, sandy beaches of Tybee Island, GA and Folly Beach, SC. This year, her daughters got to celebrate with her this landmark 90^th birthday…on a new beach, on a new coastline.

Every day was different. Barefoot walks in the soft white sand. Tybee Beach Pier. “Love at the Shore” (Hallmark movie, 2017). Coffee and sunrise on our beachfront balcony. Tybee Island Lighthouse (all 178 steps – up and down). The Savannah Old Town Trolley. A horse-drawn carriage ride through historic Charleston. The Charleston Harbor Cruise. The Boone Hall Plantation tour. The Charleston Tea Plantation. “She” Crab Soup. Fried Green Tomatoes. The magnificent Angel Oak Tree. Shopping at the Charleston City Market. Our perfect oceanfront birthday dinner on Folly Beach. ALL of these adventures – in eight days – all for our mom! And she did great! Every day. She kept up and didn’t miss out on a thing!

My favorite memory? Honestly, there were many I’ll not soon forget. But oh my…that TIARA. It was magical! We gifted mom with a sparkly rhinestone “crown”, which she happily wore all day, along with her “Birthday Queen” sash. It was like announcing to the city of Charleston, “Today is my 90^th birthday, ya’ll!” What-a-hoot! Mom received high fives and happy birthday wishes, curtsies to the Birthday Queen and kisses from total strangers. People wanted to take their picture with her. I’m serious! She was like a celebrity! And she had a ball playing it up, chatting with her admirers and giggling with joy all along the way!

I know this blog is not typical for me, but I just had to share a glimpse of the celebration with my sisters and mother, whom I love and adore. When I think of the woman Lois Cooke, “MOM”, I am reminded of the love and security that stemmed from her presence and influence. She was the manager and guardian of our home, whose silent force assumed respect without question. She could garner the desired response from her children with a simple raised eyebrow. I just might catch a raised eyebrow from this blog because mom does not like being in the spotlight (love you, mom).

The “Proverbs” woman comes to mind…Unlike the Proverbs woman, mom didn’t wear fine linens and purple, nor did she plant a vineyard or supply merchants with sashes. But she IS a woman of noble character, worth far more than rubies. Her husband had full confidence in her and she was his closest confidante till the day he died. She honored dad and provided a loving home for him and their family. And her children still rise up and call her blessed. That’s what this 90^th birthday trip was all about. We sisters really wanted to give mom some timeless memories, and demonstrate our love and gratitude and blessing over her for all she has done for us.

We are thankful to God for the gift of TIME…a precious week spent with our mom and with each other. And you know what? Of all the fun times and new adventures mom experienced, I think her favorite memory was just watching her girls together. Laughing, sharing, experiencing life – morning, noon and night – for eight days. That for her is the priceless memory…the gift that will live on long after the other memories have faded.

A wife of noble character who can find?

She is worth far more than rubies.

Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.

Her children arise and call her blessed;

Her husband also, and he praises her:

“Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.”

(from Proverbs 31)

Here’s to you, mom! Thank you for your selfless acts of love and support, teaching and nurturing, commitment and faithfulness to God, dad, and our family. We love you!