It's a Birthday day...a week late. :D

So, my post is a week and a day late. Oh, well. Things, and life ... have gotten in the way.

But we will put up all this Happy Mama Day up now. :) 'Cause Happy Mama Days should be celebrated as long as any and all mamas are around, in my way of thinkin'. :)

This will mostly be a picture post of her sweet little self, because all that I have to say, is that - behind every great daughter, is a great mama. Haha. Okay, okay, so I revised that. In my case, while I am not great, the great attributes that God has given me, my mother has watered, weeded and nourished and continued to encourage to flourish in me. She chastens and rebukes me down to smaller sizes of myself and greater sizes of grace and humility. I am grateful, because I am needy, and because she does it so lovingly.

She fulfills that huge and scary role in my sister and I's life of being our mother. Haha. :) And she does it well. There are so many things that I see in her that I want to be when I grow up. (For the reminder, even though I am turning 21 in 2 days, this does not mean that I will be then grown up...haha)

My Mumma is not perfect, but she is my Mama, and I wish for no other to call so. She is our dearest Marmee, I am Jo ... haha, and Kimberly is Meg. Or Beth. She switches off. :) My Mumma doesn't have to be perfect ... I am just so thankful that God has made her my Mama. We are so blessed by her.

There is so much that I could say about her, but it is getting late for me, and it would take too many blog posts. :) As a friend adequately said today to me: "Your Mama is sooo cute." Ain't that the truth? (Mom will later correct me for using "ain't"...I promise) :) You will see this cuteness in the photos below -

Last year in Winter Park, sipping some Rasberry Smoothie on a hot, hot day. :)

April 2009, in Ohio for my grandma's 90th birthday. :) I had her sit on this swing, even though it was in the 40's, but felt colder and she wanted to go inside, she sat down and then was distracted, I took the picture, and I just love it to death, and she won't. Ah, well. :)

Like I said...cute and sooo lovely. Makes me grin just looking at her smile. :D
One thing that so touches my heart is my Mama's love for her own Mama, my Grandma Florence. She cares so deeply, stays in touch, and even though we don't care for her now- physically, here- she longs and prays for the joy of our Grandma to be full. She loves her Mama so very dearly, and it makes me just love both of them all the more.

My mama with her mama. April, 09
Oh, my. I think I might cry...this is my Grandma clasping my Mama's hand in hers, holding on tight. Loving, sure, secure. Just in that moment, all seems so right. That's how it is with mama's.
In the car, out in the literally freezing weather, admist all the stress and emotions of those moments, it's a special thing to take a smiling picture with my Mom to remember it by. :)

And now on to her birthday celebration on the 25th of June, 09, we celebrated by shopping and dinner and dessert at The Cheesecake Factory in Orlando. :) 'Twas loverly.

And here we find Daddy whispering sweet nothings into his wifey's ear. :) That's why she was smiling. He's good with things like that.
Daddy being shocked over Mama's cheesecake, haha. If you have not had it already, it is the Chocolate Coconut Cream Cheesecake, and it is by far, the best ever, it is like a Mound Bar made into cheesecake. Five stars. Just so you know now.
And then on Mama's real birthday, Thursday, the 28th, on Dad and I's way home from the convention, we stopped and Daddy went in and bought Mama flowers, and lovely flowers they were indeed! Wow! She was surprised and laughing and pleased. :)
A Boston Cream Cake lovingly made by our good friend Jackie, as her birthday present to Mumma. It was soooo good! Seriously, doesn't that just make you hungry? :D Thank you, Jackie!
We stuck some candles in and arranged them in a not so perfect way. Haha.
Mumma said "Oh, wow! How often do you get someone lighting your candles right there in front of you for you?" Hahaha! Good job, Father.
Our mama and her cake as we sang rather out of beat and with great fervor.
There's that lovely smile!
The cake in all its sweet, smooth, pudding-y, moist, dark chocolately goodness. And yes, we did eat the whole thing over the course of the next several days. It was good!
Mom with her card from Kimberly, with all our gifts in the Crate and Barrel bag. She picks out things, and we buy them. :)
Reading with great delight....Kimberly writes such lovely cards in beautiful penmanship.
Remember, this is a Fambrough Card. Haha. Writing on every space possible. :)
And my card, which I finished two days later. And a shell that I also wrote in for Mom. Which, again, gives me the ending for our post yet again, I rather like this. :)

"To: Mom, for your ___ birthday, ever lovely shall you stay, in the eyes of your daughters."

Not only lovely does she stay, but grows, as we see more and more what makes a Godly woman a Godly woman. :) Wifehood, Motherhood and Godly Womanhood become you, Mother.

Happy Birthday a little late, Mama, I love you SOOO much, and always, always will.

Your younger girlie,
grateful for God's blessings,
~ Jean Marie