It's Mother's Day and time to celebrate the woman who made it possible for me and my siblings to exist. Her combination of growing up on the Prairies during the Depression and a personality that was on the obsessive compulsive side of the spectrum created an upbringing of memorable moments that I chuckle at, marvel at, imitate and that proves reality really is stranger than fiction.

Combine that with her marriage to my dad who was born and raised in southern Alberta to "fine old Ontario family - FOOF's" and who was clearly on the ADD side of the spectrum and you have a winning combination for some really quirky memories of growing up.

The best part - they both could laugh about it when we would constantly recount these stories to them as we became firmly entrenched in our adulthood and parenthood. Better yet, our children all had close relationships with their grandparents and could start telling stories about their experiences with "Amma and Grampa" that made us all laugh at the "functional dysfunction" of our parents.

What a ride!

Here's to you Alda - you survived raising four beautiful children who came with their own set of quirks, survived them going on to create the next generation of 12 grandchildren who have emerged with a whole new set of funky personalities and to your first great-grandchild who is keeping us entertained with all of her cute antics.

You taught me that life is to be savoured for every moment it gives you, to be reflected on with a new set of eyes gained from the experience of living, to laugh at the ridiculousness of ourselves and to help the next generation find their own path to enlightenment. "Lighten" is the key - lighten up through a constant letting go of that ego by seeing yourself for who you really are - one with all and all with one.

Thanks mom - I love you beyond words.