Sorry for the interruption in the five-minute face series, but I would get a Daniel Green house shoe upside the head if I did not acknowledge today’s holiday.

It’s my mom’s birthday!

I’ve always thought of Momma (her preferred spelling) as a force of nature. She’s deeply loving and equally no nonsense. Big M takes mess from no one. And while she’s never been a stranger to a good time, Momma kept her guard up around us. That’s how it should be, though. She’s our mom, not our friend.

This is Momma during her college years. Aside from handling business at the card table, I have no idea what’s going on. But I’ve always loved it. It shows her in a totally free moment, long before marriage and motherhood met her acquaintance.

There were times when I was growing up that I thought my mom didn’t understand me, but after I found this photo, I realized that wasn’t the case. The girl in this photo had a life. She had friends and fun. She made mistakes.

She was like me.

Happy Birthday, Momma! I love you.