To my mom

Mother’s Day in Malawi is in October, but as I was putting together my cinnamon rolls for yesterday’s brunch, I was thinking of the best cooks I know:  my mom and grandmas.  My plans to post this later on Sunday went awry, so, somewhat belatedly:  Happy Mother’s Day to the leading ladies in my life, who taught me the value of family, food, and going fearlessly forward.  (They may wish they had toned down that last bit.)

My mom: faithful email correspondent, purveyor of recipes and domestic skills, (always) indulgent of my love for reading, and responsible for my compulsion to separate lights and darks in the laundry (as well as many other peculiarities, I'm sure).

My Grandma: baker of the best angel food cake EVER, embroiderer extraordinaire, a ready and willing sharer of accumulated wisdom.

My Grandma: has memorized more recipes than I will ever try, has a more active social life than I will ever have, and is always learning to do new things (like read my blog!).

They may not understand WHY I would want to do things like move to Malawi, but their support – despite distance and communication problems and my stubbornness – means the world to me.

(Okay, /sappy post.)

My mom also taught me important life skills, like how to fall asleep in front of the TV.