75 reasons

1. I am still talking to her
2. I am still learning from her
3. She is still talking to me and letting me know she is near
4. Her laugh
5. Her hair, the beautiful salt and pepper
6. The meals she cooked
7. Her salads, and the fact that we ate one every night
8. The way she interacted with strangers, always making their days a bit brighter
9. The fact that she was a big, old flirt
10. And that she always reached out to take my father's hand
11. Her daily nap, with Honey keeping her flank warm
12. Planting the annual red geraniums in the deck flower boxes
13. Her (horrible) rhyming Christmas poem
14. Christmas brunch
15. The list for the Christmas brunch, the timing down to the minute
16. How connected she was with elementary and high school friends her whole life
17. How much she loved being a Theta
18. How she would return from conventions exhausted having stayed up all night talking with her roommate
19. The way she would whack people she loved
20. Her slow deliberate swim strokes, truly a front crawl
21. The fact that she added a lap every day
22. Fondue night
23. Wallpapering the whole house, the smell of wall paper paste
24. Painting the iron bed pink
25. Driving us to and from swim practice
26. Sitting for hours at swim meets
27. Scoring the softball games
28. Playing tennis with me at Howe School when I was just starting
29. Jeopardy at lunch (I think was Jeopardy)
30. Grilled cheese and tomato soup
31. Singing in the car
32. Singing along with The Carpenters
32. Singing "Downtown" on the way downtown
33. Singing "Silent Night" beside her every Christmas Eve, always one of my favorite things, hearing her alto harmony on that special night
34. "Not too quick on the uptake"
35. Giving lessons about being blind to my fifth grade class
35. Being room mother
36. Inviting my teachers over for an end-of-the-year lunch on the deck
37. Strawberries Romanoff
38. Wearing pink
39. Making us pluck gray hairs from her head
40. Planning  creative birthday parties when we were young
41. And Halloween costumes
42. Calling the high school to tell them to retest me, I must be gifted
43. Coming to watch me play tennis -- during a really important match, I yelled at her and told her to leave (something that still is shameful to me) and she left.  I did not know it then, but I know it now, that that is a kind of love: caring more about your child than the embarrassment she causes you
44. The letter she wrote when I told her I might not follow the path she'd envisioned for me:  

 Thank you so much for your loving letter. It meant a lot to us that you would share your innermost thoughts with us.
I was just passing on what Paula wrote to you.  I never felt that would be a path that you would choose.
No one can know exactly who they will love.  When I envisioned the man I would love, he would be a great dresser and self-assured.  Thank God, I saw through my ridiculous dreamings and found the one whom I could love unconditionally and who loved me totally and completely in your Dad.
You are blessed with your talents, your friendships and your great relationships with many children, but especially those with your dear nieces.  Your enjoyment of your friendships, teaching, writing, golfing, decorating, home ownership (most days:) ) is wonderful to
behold.  Your love for all these envigorates and enhances you.
Whether or not you have children born to you, it is so evident that your spirit has touched many.  If, as Rosie, you see fit to adopt and share your family love with children will be a blessing to all involved.
The only wish that I have ever had for you is that you will love and be loved.  I can think of no one as loving and thoughtful as you.  For you to share that with another is my fondest dream.  You know, I hope, that I will love anyone whom you choose because you will share love and respect for each other. 
I hope you can use your enormous energy to find and experience and enjoy love.  May your God and your spirit open you wholly to love and to be loved.  I send you  my undying support and faith to aid you on this exciting journey. 
I love you.

45. The instant taking she took to Carrie
46. And the way that made me feel: like I was okay too
47. Filamagoosh
48. When we ate in the dining room, all of the candle light
49. Those winter Sundays in the living room by the fireplace
50. The way she licked her lips
51. How she was easily swayed and charmed by things and people
52. The books on her bedside table, the fact that she was a reader
53. The way she helped Grammy and Papa Reinhold when they had to sell their house
54. The honest ways she answered my questions when I finally was brave enough to ask
55. That crazy sewing room, filled to the gills with who knows what
56. Fried summer squash
57. Two Christmas trees, each one hand cut down (that, actually may have been Dad's idea, I am not sure)
58. Bourbon on the rocks
59. Dearest Jean...
60. Her funny emails where she outlined everything she ate (every time)
61. Her strength and grace at the end
62. Her attempts to get out of that bed, hours and hours of sliding her legs just 6 inches
63.  How when the resident did the neuro test and asked "Who is President?" and she replied without a beat, "The asshole is still President."
64. How proud she was at Mark and Jean's wedding, how brave she was to ask to take communion too
65. Her loopy distinctive handwriting
66. Redecorating the Theta house at Pitt
67. Her emotions, sometimes so volatile. I did not give her credit for who she was and what she needed (and that is shameful too)
68. Sour Cream Coffee Cake
69. How she cried when she got a present she really loved
70. Her 70th birthday surprise at Nemacolin
71. Her obvious love and pride for me when she saw a poetry play, how she "got me" in that moment and respected me for what I do
72. That she walked with me on the beach that day at Amelia and we laughed so hard we both wet our pants
73. That she waited for me to come so that I could help her die (at least that's the way I like to think of it)
74. The things I learned watching her and the way she was in the world
75. That, in the end, we forgave and accepted each other

Happy birthday, mom.