Conversations With My Mom
These are the conversations I want to remember—shared with my dear mom, whose faith, joy, and perspective continue to shape my heart.
January 31, 2026
I called my mom on my way home from work today. She answered, enthusiastically as always, and immediately congratulated me on becoming a mom 28 years ago. “It feels as if it were yesterday that you welcomed your first child into the world,” she said. “I remember that day exactly.”
She told me she remembers waiting in a “beautiful” (her word 😊) hospital waiting area while I was in labor. She remembers how beyond thrilled I was to have my first baby—how I was glowing with joy. Stan was wearing a yellow checkered shirt, and a dear family friend was with them as they waited for the new arrival.
Then a nurse finally came into the waiting room and said to my mom, “Congratulations, Grandma—it’s a girl!”
My mom said, “I had never heard sweeter words. I was ecstatic!”
She ended our call by saying, “We’re celebrating today with lasagna, salad, and apple pie in Michelle’s honor. This is a special day that deserves a special celebration.”
January 30, 2026
I called my mom this morning, and before I could even ask how the visit went, she exclaimed, “Oh my goodness—wait until I tell you about last night! You were right. He’s a gem. So thoughtful, gentle, a wonderful conversationalist, and incredibly sweet.”
She shared that when they arrived, my friend’s son greeted her with such warmth. They made coffee, and my friend prepared sourdough toast with peanut butter and sliced bananas. They arrived around 7 p.m. and didn’t leave until 11—and even then, my mom said, “We could have talked for another two hours.”
“He’s so unique and so kind,” she told me. “He was genuinely interested in my life story—asking questions, really listening, fully engaged the entire time. And then I said, ‘Enough about me—tell me about you. What are your plans? Your goals? How are you?’”
Before they left, my mom told him he was welcome to come back and visit anytime. “There’s a special light about him,” she said. “I don’t know what it is exactly, but his light comes from within.”
And honestly… I couldn’t agree more.
P.S. My friend’s son is 26 or 27 and in medical school, on his way to becoming an orthopedic surgeon. And yes—there really is something special about him.
January 29, 2026
I called my mom tonight, and as we were chatting she suddenly said, “Give me a second—my landline is ringing.” She answered, and I could hear the excitement in her voice.
“Hi! Are you outside? Oh no… you want to stop by? Sure—of course! I can’t wait to see you!”
When she came back, I asked, “Who was that, Mom?”
“Janet!” she said. “She’s stopping by with her son—she wants to introduce us.”
I smiled and said, “Okay, I’ll let you go so you can get ready for their visit.”
“Okay, thanks,” she replied. “I want to change into a nicer sweater. I have my house sweater on, but I want to look a little nicer before they arrive. Love you. Bye. Call me tomorrow and I’ll tell you how the evening went.”
Before hanging up, I said, “Mom, I’m so excited for you. You are going to love her son—he’s a gem.”
P.S. Janet has been my childhood friend since junior high, and I love that even though I now live more than 2,000 miles away, she has stayed so deeply and beautifully connected to my family.
