Never too old...

My mother has been one of my most loyal pen pals since college. She'd send anything she thought I'd enjoy, such as newspaper clippings, notes telling me that she was proud of me, care packages, gift cards and (rarely) checks.

After college, we became better phone buddies, since I no longer had loopy schedules to work around. She'd still send little letters and greeting cards, but with less frequency. After the recession hit us hard last year, she really started sending the love ten-fold. I would go to my mailbox and find Starbucks gift cards, those free download cards from the Starbucks, greeting cards telling me to "hang in there" and a coupon book to Dunkin Donuts with a $20 bill stuck inside (funny thing about the coupon book is that I almost threw it away because I had already received the same set of coupons in my junkmail earlier in the week. I still appreciated the gesture but I knew I wouldn't need both sets. So as I was showing Halbastram what she'd sent, the $20 came flying out and I was very very happy I didn't just toss it in the garbage).

Every once in a while, when she needs a break from the city, she'll come out to stay the weekend, not complaining about having to share the couch with my sister (it's a one-bedroom cramp fest here). She'll buy groceries and little household products here and there if I need them. I'll thank her and promise her that, when I publish my first book and become a millionaire (wishful thinking), she'll be the first to be treated to a new house. We'll have a good laugh and then continue shopping.

And just yesterday, after bus training, I arrived home to find a Hallmark card in my mailbox. I opened the envelope to find Snoopy telling me that even when life gets tough, I should just hang in there. And inside the card was a $50 gift card to Target and $25 to Starbucks (I'm not that big of a Starbucks fan...she just knows that I like coffee and Starbucks is the only coffee place she's familiar with). Normally, when I'd get something in the mail I would text-message her to say thank you. But this was just one of those moments that required a voice, to show my true, genuine gratitude for her generosity to me and Halbastram. At 26, I know I should be taking care of myself, but I know I'm lucky to have a mother who'd rather help than leave me to my own devices.

Later in the evening, after retrieving Halbastram from work, I headed straight to Target, purchased a cup of coffee at the Starbucks and picked up a giant bottle of shampoo (finally!) for me and a giant box of Life cereal for Halbastram, his Valentine's Day gift.

Thanks, mom!