Happy Mother’s Day and Birthday to Daughter Sarah

Tomorrow we are celebrating both Mother’s Day and Sarah’s birthday since she is starting a grueling 8-week rotation on Monday, which is her actual birthday. Our family is meeting at the Arboretum in Arcadia at 12:30 to tour the gardens and have a picnic of bagels, cream cheese, juice and coffee. Then afterward, we’ll head to Sarah and Gregorio’s house in Pasadena to prepare for her official birthday party, at which time several friends will join us. We plan to grill chicken and vegetables, plus serve the chicken enchiladas that Rachael and I made this afternoon. Of course, there will also be homemade beans, rice, salsa, guacamole, and chips. Rachael and I also made a honey-sweetened chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting and strawberries plus a honey-sweetened banana cream pie. The banana cream pie is officially for Rachael’s birthday, which was last month. Unfortunately, she was sick on the day of her party and didn’t have any of the pie that I made!

I am looking forward to our day together. I am also happy that this 8-week rotation is the last really hard one for Sarah before she finishes her residency in September. She has worked her little heart out over these past 3 years of residency and 4 years of medical school. She deserves the wonderful job that is waiting for her at Asia Pacific medical clinic, which is associated with her residency program. Sarah is the only person from her residency class who has been invited to join the faculty. I am so proud of her and pleased for her. All of her hard work has paid off, and life may actually start to return to some version of normal after she finishes!

Here are a few facts about Sarah since she’s about to be celebrating her birthday:

1. She blushes very easily.

2. She is very funny. (This came from her dad, of course.)

3. She is as loving and kind as she is beautiful.

4. She was an All-Zone swimmer when she was at Beverly Hills High School, swim team captain for two years, and honored as Girl Athlete of the Year for Beverly Hills High School her senior year.

5. She loves Gregorio Pacheco.

6. She is a wonderful mother to Luna and Nico.

7. She has informed me in the nicest tone possible that she does not have “the religious gene.” (Ha!)

8. She works very hard to be a conscientious physician.

9. She loves women’s health, which is what she’ll be doing at Asia Pacific.

10. She can be a little bit shy.

11. She loves both her sisters fiercely.

12. She loves her dad and me with equal ferocity.

13. She is a loyal friend.

14. She is a strong believer and practitioner of good nutrition.

15. She loves Hank III and has been to performances in both LA and Arizona.

16. She has a nurturing quality about her, which I love.

17. She loves to hike, camp and come to the orange grove in Ojai.

18. Did I mention how much she loves her children?

19. She has perfected juggling twenty tasks in the air at the same time.

20. She has learned how to make hard decisions so that she can have a family life while pursuing her career. 

21. She is my favorite oldest child.

22. I would like her even if she were not my daughter.

23. She can make me belly laugh.

24. She is smart.

25. She will always be my baby and I am proud to be her mama.

Happy birthday, sweet Sarah!  I love you.

Here’s to the next phase in your already happy/solid/productive/love-filled life.