Mom's 75th Celebration

Every year someone celebrates their birthday I believe should be a HUGE celebration!  Birthday's to me - are BIG. It's the day YOU were born...the day God brought YOU into our lives - a huge gift - a blessing.  God gave you life through your mother - God watched YOU grow- God created each part of YOU.  THAT - to me- is special.  So I love celebrating people every chance I get.  

This year I got to celebrate my mama.  Oh how I love that woman!!  Mrs. Maria S. Valdez Ramirez - a daughter, granddaughter, niece, tia, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother- mother-in-law...a GIFT!!!  

her hawaiian cake ;)

  
She was born on October 12, 1936 - which makes this year her 75th year of life!!  WOW!  What a wonderful gift and blessing.  And I was able to celebrate that with her!!  My mama is truly a gift in my life- God gifts us special people in our lives -parents, siblings, friends, etc..But they are just gifts for a time...we belong to HIM. But for a time- he allows each one of us to have special people in our lives for a while - and my mama is a gift from God!  She has clothed me, bathed me, loved me, cried with me, yelled at me, spanked me, hugged me, laughed with me and AT me!!!  Every SINGLE day I have with her is - a true blessing.  

love her.

me. mama. eric.

Eric and I were so excited to host her 75th Celebration at our home - what an honor! We planned it. My mama's kids rallied up and helped with the expenses - I designed the invitations (simple but nice) and mailed them out!  We rallied some of our dear friends who were so sweet and generous with their time  - they came over and helped us set up our backyard!  It was Hawaiian Themed.  Julia Castaneda made the Celebration Video which was wonderfully made!!  Jared Hooper was our photographer - we were grateful.  And Mollie Roberts made our yummy cupcakes from Sweetly Baked.

Cupcakes by Sweetly Baked

As a keepsake (so bummed we didn't get a picture) we had a line of pictures hung from one tree to another by clothespins.  Pictures from way back when to the present - and if someone wanted a picture as a memory of a special time that maybe they didn't have - they were free to take it home!  We had a string of white lights from our patio to our back trees - candles on the tables - hawaiian (and mexican) music playing!  It was awesome!!!  We were so happy so many of her grandchildren and children were able to be there - its hard when folks live so far away - but it was a TRUE BLESSING to have EACH person there!! We look forward to celebrating daily this special woman in our lives!

the ramirez family

Our encouragement is to not wait until someone passes to make a special video - or celebrate life - or even for a birthday.  Each time you see family or a friend - HUG THEM, give them a kiss on the cheek - tell them you LOVE them - forget about the past - forget about the hardships - forget about anything that is hurtful - and remember that our time with those we love - that time is borrowed time - and they are gifts from God. How many times have you thought..."I wish I would've......Maybe if I'd spent more time....Maybe if I had said....Maybe if I didn't....Maybe if I had let go of...." why?!?  Why think that? Why not just say "I was blessed to know that person or I AM Blessed to know them!!!!" Be blessed!!  Don't take time for granted. Make EACH birthday a SPECIAL one!! Make those folks celebrating birthdays feel just WONDERFUL!  Because they were fearfully and wonderfully made by our Creator!   (Psalm 139)