Her children rise up and call her blessed.

Proverbs 31:28

When my mother was 19, in 1951, she won ‘Queen of the Lake.’ I don’t even know which lake; it’s in Southeast Oklahoma. It doesn’t really matter. My mother’s being Queen became legend to us as children. My sisters and I played with the navy blue wallet embossed with gold crowns that was one of her gifts.

Since she was 75, my siblings and I have gathered in Texas to celebrate the Queen’s birthday. There have been some years we’ve had to skip, such as 2020’s party, and this year’s February birthday both because of COVID-19.

Now that the family is vaccinated, we came together for her celebration in July. We’ve been planning the Queen-themed party for over a year.

One of the really fun parts is planning the motif for the parties. We’ve had designs such as Sesame Streets’ Count Dracula, Cinderella, Patchwork & Hearts, Hotdogs, etc. We spend the year gathering all the party supplies. Belmar Bakery in Amarillo always bakes and decorates the cakes. They are the best!

But it is the things you can’t plan that make a celebration extra special. This year we had a late lunch at Jorge’s Mexican Restaurant. I’d called them four times to reserve the party room and to make sure everything would go off without a hitch.

My mother arrived with one of my sisters and a family friend. When she walked in the restaurant, decked out in a tiara and “I’m 90” sash, the entire place erupted in applause. You can’t plan for that.

Later we were informed a customer had paid $100 toward our check and the restaurant comped my mother’s meal. What a nice surprise!

Mother got several thoughtful gifts and her favorite kind of gift, money. When you’re 90 you pretty much have everything you need and more. But you can always use some extra cash.

Mother said this was her best party ever. I reminded her she says that every year. She replied, ‘This time it really was!’ Until next year, of course.

Don’t tell my mother, but next year’s theme is the Golden Girls. It will be the best party ever! 😉

My mother is a sweetheart. She was a stay-at-home mom of the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. It was a great comfort to have my mother at home when I was little, and to have her there when I arrived home from school each day.

She is a Godly woman and taught us to love the Lord. She read the Bible to us, prayed with us, and took us to worship services, Sunday school, and Vacation Bible School.

She did her very best to make sure we had good lives and that we grew up respecting God, family, friends and our elders.

Most of all, she loves each of us unconditionally and accepts who we are as individuals.

Everyone thinks they have/had the best mother ever. I really do!

I’m blessed beyond measure to have had my mother for the 63 years of my life. I pray to have her many more. Long live the Queen! ♥️

dmzh