HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MILDRED!!!

Not only is today Mildred's 84th birthday, it was her first time EVER to don a sombrero!!! OLE'! Danny, Lisa, Ollie, Dad and I took Mom to Papasitas in Austin for lunch! After chips and salsa, tortilla soup, beef fajitas and grilled shrimp, the flan was muy perfecto!!! Mom didn't hesitate to put on the sombrero when the wait staff brought it out and she clapped her hands and laughed out loud while they sang their rockin' version of "Happy Birthday!"

"My mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her." George Washington (and seconded by the Smith kids!!!)

Dad got so tickled at Mom having so much fun with the sombrero and all! I missed taking a picture (pooh) but Dad kept making goo-goo eyes at Mom during lunch and then they'd grin at each other like they knew a secret than none of the rest of us knew!!! The rascals!!! I can tell you that Dad can clearly tell Mom he loves her, and he doesn't need words! It's heartwarming!!!

It's that secret that attributes to the longevity of their marriage! More happiness this week as Mom and Dad celebrate their 64th wedding anniversary on Wednesday, May 5th!!! It's so awesome to be the product such a beautiful couple and to see how they created our wonderful family based on their love! What an inspiration!!!

Glenda and Mollie were out at Mom and Dad's house on Saturday and Jean is spending part of the day tomorrow out there. It's tough getting us all together at once these days, but we all will make a special effort this Sunday!

All the Harvey and Mildred Smith gang will party a lot more on Sunday, when we all gather for Mother's Day at Jean and Jimmie's ranch! We'll celebrate not only Mother's birthday and Mom and Dad's anniversary, but Bradley Koenig's 13th birthday (can't believe that he's a teenager!), Kelly Koenig's First Communion (the Koenig kids are some of Jean and Jimmie's grandkids), Mia Johnson's 3rd birthday (she's Danny and Lisa's granddaughter), Clint and Mollie Flanagan's college graduation (Glenda's kids), and Clint's girlfriend, Ahou's birthday! WOW! We sure do need a WHOLE DAY to celebrate all that!!! Can''t wait!

God bless all of you, especially all our Mothers in Heaven and on Earth!!!

Loving God,
we thank you for the love of the mothers you have given us,
whose love is so precious that it can never be measured,
whose patience seems to have no end.
May we see your loving hand behind them and guiding them.
We pray for those mothers who fear they will run out of love
or time, or patience.
We ask you to bless them with your own special love.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ.
Amen.