Dear Sisters,

I have learned much from each of you and am most grateful for the love and support you’ve shown me the last 50 years.. SO, I decided to write a little thank you for each of you that I’d like to share today at this incredible birthday party…. BUT there is a little caveat in my thank you messages. Each one corresponds with a character in a TV show that we watched growing up.. Remember the television in the huge living room that we all gathered around and what was on it?

I remember it well. Before I get started though, I want us to take a minute to remember our two sisters God called home before us, Patty and Holly. Let us remember the smiles and beauty they brought to our lives and their sons, Tom and Jeremy, who will carry on their legacies.

Now let me get started with my thank you messages and begin with my beautiful, grace-filled eldest sister here today, Terry… Remember Ginger, the movie star on Gilligan’s Island played by Tina Louise? She had a beautiful face, gorgeous figure and wore sparkly gowns.. I recall seeing a wedding picture of you and Vern on your big day so many years ago and remember thinking, “Wow! She is as beautiful as Ginger.” As I grew up I learned about the depth beneath your beauty, Terry. Your dedication to running a successful business is second only to your love of Christ and family. You have been a role model I have looked to when setting and maintaining the priorities in my life. Thank you.

Charmaine, you are the eldest and aren’t in beautiful Wisconsin on the day of my birthday party, but I have learned much from you from afar these many years you’ve been living and working in sunny California. You are Jaclyn Smith from Charlie’s Angels. First, like Jacklyn, you do NOT age, beautiful sister. She has had a 40 year career and is still as fresh faced as when she started and every teenage girl wanted to be her. I would say many think that about you and your ageless beauty. I recently learned that Jaclyn was nominated for a Golden Globe for her role as Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy, where she so accurately portrayed the grace and beauty of the first lady, something you emanate so easily regardless of the places you’re at or people you’re with. I’ve watched you navigate tricky situations over the years and have learned how to be more open to the universe of solutions, analyze them critically, yet with a sense of humor, and move forward confidently and with poise. Thank you for that, gorgeous lady!

Christine… You are Dixie McCall the nurse from the show, Emergency… When I was little I remember how you loved to care for people and in many ways behaved like a mother figure similar to Nurse McCall…. Like that time I fell down the stairs and broke my arm when Mom and Dad were out of town.. You wrapped it up and splinted it until they returned. You used that love of others to pursue a nursing degree and career. The very essence of who you are has stayed with you as you loved and cared for your most beautiful husband Pat, the boy next door that you married and left us too soon, and your three children. I read recently that if we work from our being, the doing and having all fall seamlessly into place. You have emulated that with tremendous grace. Thank you.

Candy… Your name epitomizes the sweet and loving spirit you have and so you, my love, are MaryAnn from Gilligan’s Island… You are a fresh faced, natural beauty who is always smiling and happy. You always choose kindness, Candy, and you inspire me to choose joy everyday regardless of the challenges that appear in my life. Most importantly though, Candy, you have taught me to pray and be intentional about my relationship with God, I’ve made many changes in my life and am connected to God more frequently and for longer periods of time everyday. I am most grateful for that. Thank you.

Denise… I remember calling you Neecie as a child and miss you today in Wisconsin, but know you are doing something spectacular in New Jersey with one of your children or your beautiful grandson. You are so strong and wise, Denise, and remind me of Murphy Brown the investigative journalist and news anchor, played by Candice Bergen. She fought the patriarchy like a champion with her intellect and wit. She emulated brains that extended well beyond her beauty much the way you do with your intelligence and natural, God-given looks, pretty sister. She was also a  pioneer as a single mother, who provided for and loved her children. I have looked to your strength and intelligence as I worked, went to graduate school, and raised a family. I have NEVER heard you complain about life, even during difficult times raising your children on your own. You continue to inspire me to take care of my health the way you do in the pool. OMG, are you are an amazing swimmer! You help me get onto the solution and execute without complaining, or getting stuck in the challenge of a situation. Thank you for that, Denise.

Jean…. You are Alice from the Brady Bunch… You have raised eight children and are filled with energy, connectedness, and are always smiling. Alice could actually learn from you, Jean. There is no distance you won’t travel to help your children anywhere in this world. The same is true for your sisters; you will traverse the continent to help each one of us. You inspire me to be more giving to others with a selfless spirit and smile on my face. Thank you.

Lynne… You are Velma Dinkley, a character in Scooby-Doo.. I had to use that show because of your love of dogs and animals, but mostly because Velma is the brains of the group. Like, Velma, you are highly intelligent with specific interests and are amazingly well read on just about everything… I know that you are extremely talented at helping others make connections they would struggle or be unable to do on their own while learning, and you do that in our family, as well as with the high school kids you work with in Port Washington.. You are a highly evolved soul who uses your genius to help others, especially those with significant social, emotional, or learning needs. I admire that in you and try to emulate it myself to be a better educator. Thank you.

Michelle… Shelly, you are Lindsay Wagner from the Bionic Woman.. Like her, you are absolutely beautiful inside and out. While Lindsay used her bionic ear to hear at incredible distances and had enormous strength in her arm and legs, your bionic powers are seeing beauty in the natural world with the food you grow to nourish your body and beat back your MS. Another bionic power you have is seeing the beauty in people. I have never heard you speak ill of anyone, instead steering others towards kind words when needed. You inspire me to be kinder, look for goodness in others, and nourish my body with healthy foods, beautiful sister. Thank you.

Pauli… You are Hot Lips Hoolihan from MASH. Clearly she was beautiful and well known for her great ass, as you are. More importantly, however, she acted pretty tough and was in the military, but was truly loving and emotionally vulnerable. She devoted her brains and most of her energy to caring for her nursing staff and Army career. I see you do the very same thing with your family and work caring for other people’s animals with your business, Pauli’s Paws. When a challenge arises, Pauli, you are unafraid and brave. You learn as much as you can about a challenge, and then take action to overcome it.. You did this with your own cancer and amazing recovery, and with anyone who needs help. I admire your determination to go back to school and do the work you are called to do. Thank you for helping me approach challenges with more confidence.

Becky…. You are Mary from Mary Tyler More who also moved to Minneapolis to work and like Mary are unafraid to take a stand on issues that you are passionate about. Like Mary you have also made a great career for yourself in the Twin Cities even when you have had to work with buffoons on occasion. You also have a real knack for making great, lasting friendships like the ones you have there with Lisa, Leslie, and the beautiful Kelly who left you too soon. I watch you with others and admire how easily you connect with people and welcome them into your life and heart so easily. I’ve taken some notes, most loving littlest sister, and have used them to make and care for the friends that I have. Thank you.

AND thank you Kel-Kel and Luke for hosting this party at your beautiful home and Allie for all of the love and creativity you put into this occasion. You three are most generous, loving, and kind. I feel proud to be your mother and thank God for you, my children.

Lastly, thank you Kelly for putting the party together for me and supporting me the last 32 of my 50 years. You have been my confidant and partner through many great times and some really rough patches too. I’m grateful for all of it and am a better person having had you by my side. Thank you.

I am so very grateful and feel blessed by each and every one of your friendships. Thank you all for coming to celebrate my 50^th birthday today!