It was a lovely Mother’s Day in Little Egypt. We all want our Mothers to be proud of us. We seek their approval. We desire their blessing. After all, they are the first to teach us how to negotiate the hurdles in our confusing world. We were not born with our combat boots on or our briefcase in our hands. We came here crying and using the restroom in our diaper. We might still be doing what we did in the beginning if it were not for Mom. Mom thought we were the most handsome or pretty baby that had ever been born. She knew we were possibly geniuses by the way our eyes followed her as she made our oatmeal. We did not know if it was day or night and Mom stayed up with us until we learned the secret. As the new mother on Seinfeld said to Jerry Kramer George and Elaine…’You got to see the baby!’ Now the actual sight of ‘The Baby’ brought cringes and turning away from the figure with Kramer pronouncing that ‘The Baby’ looked like Lyndon Johnson…

I often marvel at MJ’s love and concern for Aaron and Jonathon. She is a wonderful mother. MJ taught our sons at home for several years for them to have some time with me due to my working nights. I was looking at her today as we sat for lunch at Feather Hills Winery and I said to Jonathon and Aaron, ‘What a pretty lady mom is.’

When I look back on MJ and my life I know that I could not have made it without her. She has always been there for me. In my darkest days, she has been a constant light.

A Lighthouse is known for its beacon. MJ is the beacon for our Lighthouse…