Today, on this first day of 2017, my mom celebrates her 75th birthday (75? Really?), and to recognize the occasion, it seemed right of me to list 75 things about her that have been an important part of her life, or that simply have gone into making her so great. This list is too, too short, but off the top of my head, here are 75 things about my great mom.

1. Kansas girl.
2. Wonderful wife.
3. Amazing mom to three kids.
4. Super grammy to five grandkids.
5. A short career as an escort.
6. Chocolate chip cookie maker.
7. Thoughtful encourager.
8. Spitting laugher.
9. Laundry queen.
10. Longtime Spurs fanatic (since Duncan joined the team).
11. Lord of the turtles.
12. Hummingbird herder.
13. Professional Bull Rider fanatic (she knows the bulls as well as the riders!)
14. Biography reader.
15. New Mexican food maniac.
16. Eldest of the famous four Scruggs siblings.
17. Country kid.
18. One room schoolhouse student.
19. Bank teller.
20. California citizen.
21. Known to laugh a lot at Mabel “Madea” Simmons.
22. Eye care specialist.
23. Self-identifies as one of the “trashy” people (because as a family, we sometimes go through a lot of trash).
24. Gregg Popovich’s coach.
25. Sports movie buff (McFarland, USA, Moneyball, Remember the Titans, Glory Road, The Blind Side, Invincible).
26. Native American jewelry and pottery collector.
27. Creator of the Rustic Room.
28. Care group leader at church (with Dad).
29. Evangelism Explosion!
30. Shorthand ninja.
31. Sign language student.
32. Spelling master.
33. Sometimes goes to Pojoaque.
34. Best Christmas and birthday card writer in the West.
35. A cheerful giver.
36. Bible Study Fellowshipper.
37. Hay bale hurler.
38. Cat eye glasses glamour.
39. Daughter of Willard and Myrtle.
40. Serious sunbather.
41. Frosted.
42. Christmas decorations!
43. Year-round yard lights!
44. Fantastic cook.
45. “No whining!”
46. Competitive card shark.
47. Humble and hospitable.
48. Lifetime journaler.
49. Lover of beauty.
50. Lover of God.
51. Lover of people.
52. Lover of animals.
53. Lover of coffee.
54. Compassionate.
55. Macrame expert.
56. Kelly Girl!
57. Handbell swinger.
58. Church pianist.
59. Music composer (“There was a cat”).
60. Elvis Presley.
61. Floyd Cramer.
62. Henry Mancini.
63. The Bee Gees.
64. Staying Alive, the movie.
65. Horrible teeth, happy dentists.
66. Has always taken care of herself and her appearance.
67. Laughs easily at herself and at life, despite its hardships.
68. Tennis star (until I messed up her back)
69. Always grateful.
70. “From mousy to mouthy”. She offers her a opinions a little more now than she did earlier in her life. And I’m glad she “came out of her shell”.
71. Swedish.
72. A full-on New Mexican.
73. A proud American.
74. A devoted follower of Christ.
75. A remarkable, well-loved and treasured person.

Happy 75th, Mom!

I, like everyone else in our family, love you so much and am grateful for the love, support, humor, and joy you bring into our lives each and every day!