Jane's Birthday!

Today, my mother, Jane Newman, turned 70.  She's not too happy about it, either. 

My sense of humor, my love of sports, my love of reading, the importance of family in my life, my work ethic, my sense of fair play and justice, my value system, my ability to make, value and keep friends, my desire to help others, my skills as a practical joker, my love of animals, my ability to listen, my love of children, my love of life, I owe them all to her.  In short, everything I have achieved and, really, everything I am, is because of her.

After my father died at the age of 30 and we moved from California to middle Tennessee, she raised me, my sister, Tracy, and my cousin, Alice, on her own.  Simply put, she devoted her life to us and to other members of our family, like my grandmother, Mary Alice Ussery, and my great aunt, Sara Dickson.  She's the best, most caring person I know.

One of the true joys in my life was telling her, three summers ago, as she sat outside on her longtime neighbors' (Evelyn and Bill Pilkinton) patio, that Jude and I were going to have a baby.  I'll remember that moment the rest of my life.

Happy Birthday, Mom.  I love you.