Happy Birthday, Mom!

With all of the book reviews and editing I’ve been going through the past few weeks, I wanted to take the time to publicly wish a happy birthday to my very wonderful mother, Yvette Hoogstad.

My mom’s always been my rock, and I wouldn’t be doing anything I’m currently doing if it weren’t for her. She introduced me to the wonders of reading, encouraged my love of academics and writing, and has done everything within her power to ensure that I can do what I want to do. She convinced me to start this blog, even purchasing me copies of The Writer’s Market as well as numerous writing magazines and Blogging for Dummies. Most importantly, she has instilled a crucial spiritual lesson into me since I was little: everything happens for a reason.

She raises my spirits when I’m down, shoves me back on track when I’ve wandered in the wrong direction, and has given me all the love and guidance I’ve ever needed. She’s not perfect–no one is–but her good always outweighs the bad.

I want to bring special attention to her on her birthday because I feel that she doesn’t get all the credit she deserves. She’s had her ups and downs, she’s had people to support her and she’s supported others, and she puts the needs of others before her own, often to the point where it puts her own happiness and mental health risk (although she never lets anyone push her around). She can be a crude foul-mouth and crusty at best, but I love her all the more for it. She’s sarcastic, speaks her mind, and is one of the kindest and most hilarious people I’ve ever known.

So, join me in wishing my mom a happy birthday. I hope it’s a great one and that there will be many, many, many more birthdays to come.