On this day 63 years ago a healthy little baby girl came into the world in Fresno, Ca. She was the last of five and little did she or her family know what a whirlwind of an existence she would lead for the next 50 years of her life here on planet Earth. Her name was was Kathleen Leanore Wolf, a.k.a. Kitty, and she was my momma. For a long time as a pre-teen and teen I obsessed over her photo albums. It didn’t matter the age, the girl or woman looking back at me through those photos was always a straight up confident hottie every time. Do I really need to mention how much I wanted to be like her? I lusted over her crazy stories, how she travelled the world on a cruise ship, moved to Italy in her 20s, found ‘God’ in her 30s and wanted to become a missionary before meeting my dad and seemingly settling for a slightly tamer version of herself. Despite it all she seemed happy. Not the kind “the universe is amazing and life is awesome” kind of happy but more the “this life has taken me in so many directions and I am grateful to be here” kind of happy. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure having cancer for ten years sucked and she would’ve happily done away with it if she could have but life doesn’t really work that way does it? So, she was stuck with cancer and two young children and tried to make the most of her life regardless. I mean we lived in India for six months, travelled to Paris on the night train, we even took a crazy 1,500 mile road trip through the American South West making pasta out of a plastic pot you can cook in a motel microwave to save money on food. Never mind she ended up in the ER by the time we got to San Diego, we had fun, type A fun. 

My mom was a wonderful, wacky, caring soul who truly lived her life to the fullest. We undoubtedly had our moments, I was a teenager she was on cortisone but she taught me so much about life, love, beauty and meaning in this world. I miss every day and days like these are hard. But then I think of something silly she said or did, of all the wonderful family and friends she left behind who look over me and my brother; I think of my Dad who she chose to be her life partner (and what a solid choice that was!) and I can’t hep but smile. Smile at the thought of this woman who once was a tiny baby on this day and everything that happened in between and I can only hope that I too can attempt to live my life with such courage, openness and love as she did. 

I love you mom, happy 63rd birthday, wherever you are, even if it’s just in our hearts. 

On this day 63 years ago a healthy little baby girl came into the world in Fresno, Ca. She was the last of five and little did she or her family know what a whirlwind of an existence she would lead for the next 50 years of her life here on planet Earth. Her name was was Kathleen Leanore Wolf, a.k.a. Kitty, and she was my momma. For a long time as a pre-teen and teen I obsessed over her photo albums. It didn’t matter the age, the girl or woman looking back at me through those photos was always a straight up confident hottie every time. Do I really need to mention how much I wanted to be like her? I lusted over her crazy stories, how she travelled the world on a cruise ship, moved to Italy in her 20s, found ‘God’ in her 30s and wanted to become a missionary before meeting my dad and seemingly settling for a slightly tamer version of herself. Despite it all she seemed happy. Not the kind “the universe is amazing and life is awesome” kind of happy but more the “this life has taken me in so many directions and I am grateful to be here” kind of happy. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure having cancer for ten years sucked and she would’ve happily done away with it if she could have but life doesn’t really work that way does it? So, she was stuck with cancer and two young children and tried to make the most of her life regardless. I mean we lived in India for six months, travelled to Paris on the night train, we even took a crazy 1,500 mile road trip through the American South West making pasta out of a plastic pot you can cook in a motel microwave to save money on food. Never mind she ended up in the ER by the time we got to San Diego, we had fun, type A fun. 

My mom was a wonderful, wacky, caring soul who truly lived her life to the fullest. We undoubtedly had our moments, I was a teenager she was on cortisone but she taught me so much about life, love, beauty and meaning in this world. I miss every day and days like these are hard. But then I think of something silly she said or did, of all the wonderful family and friends she left behind who look over me and my brother; I think of my Dad who she chose to be her life partner (and what a solid choice that was!) and I can’t hep but smile. Smile at the thought of this woman who once was a tiny baby on this day and everything that happened in between and I can only hope that I too can attempt to live my life with such courage, openness and love as she did. 

I love you mom, happy 63rd birthday, wherever you are, even if it’s just in our hearts.