Happy Birthday, MOM!

29 years ago today (and by 29 I mean 51), Nelda Jean Gunter came into the world. And for that I am eternally grateful. My mom is one of the coolest people I know. She’s never met a stranger. She laughs at my dad’s horrible jokes. She dances like a madwoman. She is a good friend. She really listens, and has never tried to force her opinions on me. She supports my choices and encourages me daily. She has worked hard all her life to provide the best she can for me and Chelsea. I am very lucky; I know most kids don’t get the great start in life that we did. And we owe all of that to our parents. She has been the life of the office every place I’ve known her to work. People enjoy her company. They want to be her friend. She makes them laugh. They respect the work she does. She can sing Carole King and Steve Wariner better then they do it themselves. Including the instrumental parts. She goes out of her way to make a big deal of out birthdays for everyone she knows. Aaron was getting birthday boxes when we were barely dating. The demise of the TCBY ice cream pie was a dark day in the life of Nelda’s Birthday Hooplas. She deserves a celebration twice the size of what she provides for others. And she used to have a rockin’ fro. It was HOT.