The attached video was taken on my mom’s 70th birthday last year, when my brother and I flew in from Houston and Boulder, respectively, to surprise her.
Kudos to my dad for making it happen and creating a family memory we’ll forever cherish.
I’m grateful to have been home for her last two birthdays. Last year’s surprise will be hard to top, but that’s not the point. What matters most is simply spending time together—sharing coffee, well-done pizza from Anthony’s, Granny’s potato salad, Grandma Molly’s macaroni, reading on the dock, and paddleboarding while I swim in the lake.
No amount of time together will ever be enough, so I’m thankful for these next two weeks back in Pennsylvania.
Late summer into early fall is my favorite time of year. The lake is my happy place—one of my favorite places in the world. And my mom is one of my favorite people. My heart is home.
