in my mother's words

i scribbled the following whatnot down almost 2 years ago, in the middle of my very very angsty transition from college to REAL life. i found it recently, and was going to save it for mother's day, but ... i'm impatient ... and it's my mama's beeday today! she's young. like 29. which would make me like 5, so nevermind. in any case, enjoy!

but first, a photo from after i ran mr. 1/2 marty:

(my face says, "mom, i smell bad...don't hug me...")

and now on to the treasure from Katie's Random Written Archives:

I was finally squeezing in a lunch break during a particularly mind-numbing day at my first "grown-up job" when something caught my eye that unexpectedly brought a lump to my throat.

My mother's handwriting.

It didn't say anything particularly important -- just random notes on a piece of scratch paper I'd been using as a bookmark in a novel I'd borrowed from my parents' book shelf. But for some reason, the sight of my mom's simple, straightforward penmanship with its plump curves and straight-legged g's on this particular afternoon brought back a flood of memories...

Notes that excused my absences and tardy mornings to high school.

Reminder signs on the fridge on Fast Sundays.

Notes on the chalkboard, saying where she'd gone if she left while we were still sleeping.

Letters given to me at summer camp, coming from both my parents but always in my mother's handwriting.

Notes that came in packages to my college apartments, explaining the bags of candy that just happened to show up in a box containing shoes/shirts/etc. that I'd left at home over Christmas or Spring Break.

Notes stuffed into the GIANT box of treasures that arrived on my porch every year that I had to spend my birthday away from home.

Labels on all the boxes storing my pack-rat tendencies, some of which traveled around with me through 4 years and 9 moves.

All of which concluded with her predictable ending -- not a fancy signature -- just simply "Mom," with a little heart drawn on the right side.

All things that I never paid much attention to but clearly now recognize I will never forget. Because, as it turns out, it's my mother's simple handwriting that always makes me feel like I'm home.

I love you, mom(heart)!