Mother's Day

And a Happy Mother's Day to all the good mom's out there, particularly my own.
My brother and I consider ourselves very lucky for our mom and dad growing up. Our mom in particular seemed to meet almost an idealized version of what a mom should be: loving, smart, industrious, good cook, hard working in her career as a nurse and at home, and devoted to mine and my brother's endeavors.

I don't get to see either of my parents much since they moved to Arizona a few years back. My old man retired as a firefighter, and was more than happy to get away from our cold winters up here. My mom's job as RN, sometimes travelling, paved the way for their exploration for somewhere much warmer to live year round. They tried a few different places, but both fell in love with southern Arizona. They did some sacrificing for that with time apart while my mother did some travelling as an RN. My old man was able to switch some shifts around to take weeks off at a time to fly out to see her before he retired.

First they had a big camper they'd use to stay at various campgrounds. Then they found a retirement community just north of Phoenix, and bought a house. I haven't been to their new house in a couple years, but maybe next year I'll make the trip.

I'll see my parents next week in old Mexico. My younger brother, his girlfriend, my parents and some aunts and uncles will be out there for my cousin's wedding. Unless my folks visit NH later this year, it'll probably be the only time I see them. At least we enjoy the short time we have together.