- She taught me that reading was an escape and a joy.
- She allowed me to choose what I wanted to read which lead me to a love of sci fi, horror, and fantasy novels more than anything in this world.
- She instilled in me a passion for the written word and to express myself in any way I could. This lead to newspaper articles in middle school and really bad poetry during my teen years. Also, a cool web comic that I love and a blog that is only sometimes angry.
- She encourages any endeavor I have ever explored. When I chose to pursue environmental science, she got me into a magnet program. When I ditched that and got into acting at age 15, she took me to auditions. She saw every show, and jumped in to help make costumes, sets, and even took over the drama department in high school when there was no one to teach. She bought tickets for my first show with the Puppies on Friday and encouraged me to drink wine afterwards. That's LOVE, people!
- She encouraged any and all travel. She planned so many awesome vacations (obviously with my awesome dad, who I'll do 33 awesome things for on my birthday/Father's Day), drove most of the United States in a conversion van, and created a desire in me to see the world. She suggested I travel with Up With People. She suggested I move to KY to start an acting career with Shadowbox. Come to think of it, maybe she just wanted me out of state.
- Any time I have ever moved, she and my dad have been there. Even when we drove to KY. Mom and I drove my Chevy Cavalier, and made puns all day and night. "99 doctors walk into a bar...
- Whenever I'm having a tough time, she's there. Just there. Maybe with a little guilt, but she's still there.
- She has a cheesy sense of humor. THE CHEESIEST. And I got that from her.
- Hanging with her is like hanging with a really good friend who has lots of advice. Sometimes I forget that she is my mom and not just some sassy gal pal.
- My mom instilled in me a desire to try new things. Food...activities. Nowadays she pretty much just shakes her head when I tell her the next thing I'll be doing, but she was at my trapeze lesson with video camera in hand, laughing along with me.
- She is fiercely independent and taught me that love sometimes needs a breather. When I was 5, she moved three kids back to Ohio to be near her dad, who was diagnosed with cancer. My dad stayed in Florida because of work and visited when he could. I'll always know that my mom made a decision for herself and her kids, knowing that Dad would be there for us.
- She has a very distinctive laugh. It's "HA!" at an almost dog pitched level. I also have that laugh. I love it.
- "Oh, Lauren" is a phrase I have gotten used to. I heard it the one time I showed up for a job I found in the paper in Cincinnati that ended up being a door to door art sales job. I ended up an hour and a half away from home, broke and abandoned by some weirdo with garbage in her car and friends had to come and rescue me. Told my mom about the debacle...and it was, "Oh, Lauren."
- She's helped me through some pretty awful times. Depression, anorexia, and a ton of other awful things and right there, always, was mom with a hug, a late night chat or a shopping day.
- She made me want to learn new things always. Show an interest in the stars? She got a telescope and had us out in the back yard on blankets. Then scheduled a drive up to Cape Canaveral to see a lift off. Then a visit to Kennedy Space Center. She wanted to learn more so she went back to school and took classes. She was and is what inspired my curiosity about this world.
- She's my mom. As my little sister, Brooke, said so delicately yesterday, "Thanks for shooting me out of your vagina."
LOVE YOU, MARMEE (even though you hate that nickname!)
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