What joy to share a Happy Mother's Day

It's a glorious Mother's Day here, a picture-perfect day as they say. And it has been a special treat for me, with my best friend, her daughter and her daughter's new mother-in-law all visiting for the weekend.

Joyce and daughter Jen have been here before, and never stop raving about our beaches, fried grouper and my magic margaritas. Cammie paid her first visit, and fell in love with everything except the grind called Manatee Avenue (yep, another chance to take a shot at that mess, as this previous blog post still holds true!).

This morning, I expected everybody would want to make one last trip to the beach and work a bit more on those tans before they head back home -- to Boulder, San Francisco and Fritch, Texas (I'll let you find that dot on the map). Instead, Jennifer took us to Mother's Day brunch -- "my three Moms," she declared.

I've known her all of her 27 years, through thrills and tears and triumphs. And those words made me so proud and humbled.

The same emotion runs through Vin Mannix's Mother's Day column today. Whatever you do today, make sure you hug your mom. Or hug somebody's mom. Or have a conversation with your moms, wherever and whoever they may be.

“Twas heaven here with you.”

That's Joyce next to me, with daughter Jen across from her with Cammie.