A birthday happens today.

My Mother doesn't have interweb capabilities beyond a little machine in her office.
This machine was a gift from my Brother and Sister in Law a few years ago.
It looks like a regular computer printer, but it is hooked up to the phone line and receives emails that we send her.
All of the kids know the code to make messages get to her.
I have it saved in my email box, yet I rarely send her messages. I have to get better about it, because I know she likes it when the machine prints out a message during one of the three times a day it is scheduled to print.

Today is my birthday.
I know that sometimes my siblings read my blog, and maybe my Dad does too. I am not too sure.
if he does, I feel I ought to have thanked him today when I spoke with him. (instead of making fun of him for being on facebook now)
I love my Dad, but we have some difficulty expressing ourselves when it comes to how we feel about each other.
At any rate, I wanted to thank him too. Maybe I'll pat him on the back when i see him in a few days.

Meanwhile, this is something I just sent to my Mom. Her machine will print it out at 5pm, Minneapolis Time.

And at 11:11pm, I'll be thinking about a lot of stuff, including her.




Dear Mom,

Today I am celebrating 31 years of being your Son. I can say that it is a celebration of being alive and well and healthy, but it pretty much boils down to you.
You had choices, and you chose me. That isn't a dark and controversial topic starter, it's just that I am sure you had so many chances to sell me to wandering Gypsies or to some Eastern block communist labor camp. I would have fetched a good price, too...
But you didn't. you kept me around to see what I was capable of, and while i am still trying to figure out what that all entails, i know I'm rather good at being your kid.
I wanted to tell you that while I have had a tumultuous year, and years prior to this, I love being around.
I am surrounded by friends who really like me, and a family who puts up with me more than they should have to. I have known love, and am capable of loving, which I think reflects greatly on your parenting skill.
If you had a comment box for just Amy, Marit, Matt and myself, you would get ten out of tens every time.
There isn't really any way of thanking you that would seem appropriate or enough.
Maybe by living my life, and chasing dreams and trying to achieve goals is the best way of thanks.
I am a good enough person where I don't have many enemies, and I can hold on to friendships for years and years. I think it is a result of the way you raised me.
I will continue to try and make you proud of me by working hard to use the talents you provided. I love writing and making people laugh, you know this, but i also want to write things and make you laugh too.
And i promise to keep trying my best to not squander what I feel i am good at in honor of you.
Thank you for being my Mom, and thank you for having me on July 10th 1978 at 11:11pm In Blodgett Hospital in Grand Rapids Michigan.

Thank you for being there always when I needed you, and all the times when I thought I didn't, but in the back of my mind knew you were there to help me along the way.

I love you to the moon.

Happy Our Anniversary, Mom.

All my love,

Andrew David



ps- I got a Darth Vader Helmet from Star Wars that changed your voice when you wear it. I'll take pictures of it and send them to you. I know you will think it's neat.


I will be spending time with some friends tonight, and that is the best birthday gift there is.
Aside from a Darth Vader Mask...

Stay Awesome, and thank you for reading me.

Andy