My mom is 60 today.

And she is truly the hardest working person I know.

Her mom died when she was 19. She gave birth to me at 20.

I was her saving grace. Her words during a conversation we had during our sleepover (I’ll get to the details shortly).

She raised three daughters and struggled to support us as a single mom. There were days she rode the bus to work because she didn’t have a working car. There were trips to the food bank and shopping at the thrift store (I so looked forward to those days where I could peruse the book section for the entire time we were there). I’ve saved some of those books. Nancy Drew was my favorite.

I have many fond memories growing up. We didn’t have a lot of extra, but we had everything we needed.

My mom even got a second job to help me pay for college. I didn’t appreciate it then because I was a total brat, but I hope she knows how much that means to me now.

I’m so thankful to be her daughter. I can’t imagine how it must have been to lose her mother at such a young age. Cancer sucks.

I know things that she’s never known.

I had my mom there to witness my getting married and when I graduated from college. When I was in the hospital giving birth to Emilee, she was there cheering as I became a mom for the first time. She was there with Jaxon too. She’s always been there.

I experienced all those things with my mom by my side. It breaks my heart that she didn’t have that. I can’t even imagine.

She loved us unconditionally whether we were being cute and adorable or awful teenagers. She taught me to be a mom, to work hard to reach my goals and to be strong and independent (she may have passed on that little feminist streak as well).

Now she’s raising my nephew. And she’s doing a damn good job.

She also likes to stick around home.

Then there’s me. And it was her birthday, so…

We booked a room at the Tulalip Casino for a sleepover for my mom and her sister and me and my sister). We had girl’s night out (or old ladies night out as Emilee referred to it).

I checked in early and decorated the room.

After everyone settled in, we headed down to the casino and decided to eat dinner at Journey’s East (yum).

Dinner was fun. Emilee met us there and we nerded out on snapchat and chow mein.

We tried our hand at the slot machines. My aunt turned her $20 in $200 and my mom turned hers into $70. My sister and I didn’t fare so well.

Then we ventured back up to the room and climbed into our beds (it was 9:30…we’re such party animals).

I’d heard about this game.  Cards Against Humanity. Have you heard of it? Played it? OMG. The slogan is “A party game for horrible people”. Seriously…SO hilarious and SO inappropriate.

And playing it with my mom and my aunt was something else. We laughed until we cried. Sometimes out of shock and sometimes out of disgust, but we laughed. A lot.

We also talked and shared stories about growing up. Stories from these two sisters who lost their mom at young ages. Who despite that became amazing moms themselves.

Then we fell asleep. Some of us with ear plugs because some of us snore.

When we woke up, we ordered room service and ate a delicious breakfast.

It’s adventures like this that remind me to appreciate my people and not take them for granted.

Thanks mom: for being mine, for raising me to be confident and hard-working, for all your sacrifices and for always being there to share in all my moments.

I’m lucky to call you mom.

Happy 60th Birthday To You.

Can’t wait till our next adventure 😉