Although you - like many people - hate the idea of getting older, your birthday is upon us once again. Sure, presents, family dinner, cake, and celebrating you isn’t that bad, but that does not change the fact that you are one year older. I know it seems bad.

I know it scares you… but think about it this way: you are have spent another amazing year with your four beautiful children, your wonderful husband, and your crazy dog. You are wiser, more patient and loving, more balanced and relaxed than before. Somehow, you have begun to age beautifully, so gracefully, and you don’t look a day over twenty-nine. (That’s how old you are, right?)

You have taught this family so many amazing lessons -- how to love, to grow, to be successful. You have taught us to laugh things off and given us a shoulder to cry on. You have always listened. You have always praised us throughout our many successes, and helped us through our failures. You have given us so much.

Although parents and children are “not supposed to be friends” until they are 18, you have always maintained the perfect balance. You are always there through it all and you seem to assume any and every role we throw at you. You are a friend when we need one and a mother even when we do not think we need one (see ages 12-16). You are our cheerleader, our mediator, our bodyguard, our protector, our teacher, our role model. You are single-handedly the greatest mother on earth.

I admit, I took you for granted growing up. Many other kids were allowed to do whatever they wanted, whereas I was not. You taught me responsibility, trust, and independence, while simultaneously teaching me morals and how to stay on my best behavior. Anytime I messed up, you were there to teach me what was right. At the time, I may not have seen it that way, but I surely do now.

I may live nearly eight hundred miles away, but we have merely grown closer. I am lucky enough to talk to you every day -- and I know I can tell you anything. I have always felt that way. You have created such a wonderful, nurturing environment and relationship between the two of us. I know you joke that parenting is no easy task and that “it doesn’t come with a handbook”, but you don’t need one. In fact, you should be the one to write one - should a handbook be necessary for the millions of parents out there in this world.

I only pray that I can be half the woman you are one day. You never fail to amaze me with all you do and all you know. Even when you think you do not know what to say, you always seem to find the perfect words. I am so incredibly thankful for that, and I know my siblings are, too. Though they may not see it just yet, they will quickly realize how amazing a mother we have.

And so, I wish you the happiest of birthdays -- one full of laughter and crazy dancing in the kitchen and, ideally, a batch of dad’s meatballs. I hope you enjoy your birthday surprise. I love you more than you know. Thanks for all you do. Happy 29th!