Happy 60th Mama!

Today is my mother Wanda's 60th birthday.

I talked to her this morning at 5:00 a.m. - - 6:00 a.m. her time. That's when she gets up to go to work.

I told her I loved her and sang a quick "Happy Birthday" to her.

This picture is the first picture ever taken of my mother and me.

It was taken the day I was born and was on the front page of the Knoxville News Sentinel the day after I was born.

You see, my mother gave birth to me on the same day that her sister gave birth to my cousin.

In the same hospital. By the same doctor and nurses.

The article was entitled "Sisters Harmonize on Births."

It was a relatively small town at the time and and we were big news.

On Saturday, I'm flying back home. I get to spend some time with my father and then he is driving me to my mother's house.

My mother thinks that I am the only one who is going to be celebrating her birthday, but my brother is driving up from Atlanta Saturday to surprise her and join us for dinner.

Then Sunday, my brother and I have planned a huge surprise party at my aunt's house for my mom. Her family, friends and co-workers are all meeting at my aunt's house to celebrate Mama's 60th and to let her know how much she is loved.

And she is loved. Deeply. Especially by me.

P.S. Don't worry about my mother finding this blog entry and having it ruin her surprise. The closest thing Mama has to a computer at her place is my old Atari 2600!!