Mom.

You were always there.

You have always been my sunshine and I have always been yours. I remember sitting on the couch, with the sun actually shining through the big bay windows with you singing to me, “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are gray. You’ll never know dear, how much I love you. Please don’t take my sunshine away.”

You were there telling me to be strong and that I could do it when I got my first round of kindergarten shots.

You were there every day in the summer, taking me and my sisters to the pool, on bike rides and adventures.

You were there when my 6^th grade English teacher called me into her office because she found a threatening note from a supposedly friend.

You were there every morning, bath robe on and a fresh cup of coffee in hand, waiting for me to have breakfast before I went to school.

You were there every day when I got home from school, asking me without cease, “how was your day?”

You were there when I called you in tears after my first week of college, overwhelmed, stressed, and terrified of the four years ahead of me. You reminded me to “Just breathe. You can do this. You are good enough. You are strong enough.”

You were there to celebrate my discoveries of who I was, and who I wanted to become.

You were there when I brought home the love of my life, and you cherished him like your own child.

You were there to move me into my first home, to stock my fridge and give me life advice.

You were there watching me graduate from seminary. You walked me through a long and painful road that is graduate school.

You were there holding me and my sisters up when my dad, and the love of your life was taken from this world. You held us all up and continue to hold us up, telling us that we are strong, and we will survive the grief.

Mom, my point is that you have always been there. You have always been the tangible foundation and backbone of moments of my life, holding me together as my world crumbles apart.

I realize that life lately, has been highly about dad. About his legacy, what he left behind, and the man he was in all of our lives. But enough about him, just for now.

The reality is, that he’s not here now but you are. And I celebrate that today and for the rest of my life. Mom, you’ve been present through every up and down, in and out, trial, error, mistake, celebration and big moment of my life. I don’t’ know how you do it. I truly believe you are super-human, even when you think that you are farthest from that.

Coming home has always meant coming home to mom. You always have the fridge stocked and a heart ready to accept whatever our lives have dealt us, and you deal with our problems as your own. You’ve always been there to fight our battles alongside of us.

Now, we are here for you. As much as I miss dad, I am grateful that the four of us, the Chambers girls are still standing. I am thankful that you are the backbone that holds our family together. I am thankful that when we come home, we come home to you, to mom. I am thankful for your life and your legacy of being there, always.

So happy birthday, mom. I love you.