(give or take a few years), this world became infinitely more cheerful, spunky, loving, and fun. I wasn’t there to witness it, but I’m pretty sure the Earth broke out into cartwheels and somersaults the day little Suzi Wade was born.

Sure, sometimes she rolls with laughter at her own jokes, watches disturbingly weird YouTube videos, makes her adult children pose for Christmas card pictures, and is responsible for a major height deficit among one of us. But truly, my mom has one of the biggest hearts, best senses of humor, and most remarkable dedication to her family that this world has ever seen. And let’s be honest: It takes a legitimate angel to raise 4 babies under the age of 2 and then see them through their teenage years- especially when those kids raided our neighbors’ exotic fish pond, graffitied our bedroom walls with permanent markers, hid dead frogs in tin cans in our room, and took her car on a joyride without a license. (still too soon for jokes?)

You’d think that almost a full century of cumulative motherhood (Matt and Rachel are 25 and Luke and I are 23) would wear one woman out. But my mom continues to smother her husband and kids with love and support every single day, even when we’re thousands of miles apart, and shows no sign of slowing. She travels to all of my races that she possibly can; answers her kids’ phone calls with so much gusto you’d think we’d risen from the dead; shares my loves of tupperware, organization, documentaries and dinner parties; drove 30+ hours roundtrip and sat by my bed for 3 weeks straight when I had hip surgery; and gains a second shadow whenever I’m home.

I know this won’t compare to the year when we shopped for you at the Dollar Store (4 kids x $20 each = 80 useless trinkets), but I wanted to do something special for you on your big day since I’m not home to celebrate with you. So I recruited a few friends to wish you a Happy Birthday, Ethiopian-style:

Dan didn’t want to be left out of the festivities, and I have a feeling you might enjoy his dancing just as much as the pros:

Happy, Happy Birthday, Mom… I love you and miss you dearly and can’t wait to give you a big hug and see you give those dance moves a try in 8 months! (Sorry this post is a day early- internet access is hard to come by around here so I had to jump when it was hot)