sometimes my mom runs for Senate.

Did I mention that here? Not certain. But running, she is. One of her campaign workers asked me to write up a little something. I should probably wait to post this until after they use it, but I can't help it. Besides, my blog is significantly lacking in paragraphs (although I have a pretty interesting one in the works...in my head...give me a few days). Thanks to my rocking friend Jansen, UVA's coolest new law student, for giving it a little more credibility in language...

Enjoy?

“You’re not being serious, are you…?!”

We were at my dear great-aunt Priscilla’s funeral and my mother dropped a bit of a bombshell in my cousin’s ear. Almost jokingly, she mentioned that friends and political associates had been buzzing in her own ear about running for Bob Bennett’s seat in the Senate, and that “[she] just might do it!”

My mom and I are a lot alike. Sometimes in my desire to be independent and my own individual, I don’t like to admit it, but there are a few things that I have inherited from my mother for which I am extraordinarily grateful.

We like to talk. A lot. About anything. About everything. Give either of us a topic and chances are we’ll be gabbing until you’re sick of us. And then we’ll keep talking some more. It’s a bit of a problem, actually, and even greater reason to be thankful for unlimited cell phone minutes. Why am I grateful for this? Awkward dates, teaching lessons to glassy, sleep deprived college students, oral presentations. I’ve always got something to say. All thanks to Cherilyn.

I should throw in there that we both talk REALLY fast. Also inherited.

We also perform a lot. Ever heard of the LDS Church Primary Children’s CD? It was done in the mid-90s and if you direct your browser here (http://broadcast.lds.org/churchmusic/MP3/1/2/words/177.mp3) you’ll hear some pretty funny stuff, consisting of my five-year- old voice, in addition to my lovely parents. These days my mom and I like to sing on key (rumor has it my parents were actually instructed to sing slightly off key), and we love to blend our voices in duets, in the more contemporary, Broadway fashion. Throughout my childhood I was always proud of my Broadway mom, performing in shows in the city, introducing me to some sweet, famous Broadway stars (I still have a crush on you, Marc Kudisch). I knew without a doubt that I won the “my mom is better than your mom!” contest because not only was she driving me to piano, ballet, and ice skating lessons every day, but she also got me backstage at Cats, allowing the opportunity for truly embarrassing photos of myself in Bustopher Jones’ massive 25-pound costume. Top that.

Although singing is the one thing she and I can do together on a pretty even playing field, we have similar interests in other areas, with one besting the other. I kick her trash at playing Rachmaninoff and Chopin, but she’s the tops in sight reading music. She’s not exactly the best at dancing in pointe shoes or in Latin Ballroom heels, but she’ll beat my diction any day of the week. Her diction is impeccable, something that I strive to emulate.

Have you ever read any of my mother’s writing? She’s pretty darn awesome. While my style is a bit more conversational and full of pop culture references (and yes, I do speak this way in real life), I’d like to think that I inherited not only skill, but my love and desire to write a well written, moving, passionate, and ultimately entertaining paragraph from my ever so talented mom.

Yes. I do have super mom. She sings! She dances! She plays piano! She writes! She does cub scouts! She makes cool birthday cakes! She gets me internships with Sean Hannity! She takes notes at every single piano lesson, scribing Yoshie into countless notebooks, for three years straight! She teaches her kids to read at age three! She looks good as a brunette, platinum blonde, red-head, AND strawberry blonde! You might have seen her invisible plane flying back and forth between DC and Salt Lake City and I’m fairly certain there’s a magical, golden lasso floating around in her handbag.

As fun as our similar passions and quirks are, I know that the desire to do great things and to make a difference in this world is easily the most important attribute she could have passed on as my mother. So, even though that little incredulous declaration at Priscilla’s funeral was my actual response upon first hearing of my mother’s campaign musings, I am excited to see her make a difference in the world. In addition to all the sweet things my mom done for me, she has always been politically active, fighting for a better future for her children and grandchildren. Why do I believe she is running for office? To protect all the things she was able to do as a parent, in the hopes that I can one day do the same things with my own future children. Always on the other side of the process, she never hesitates to make necessary bold statements, to stand for what she believes is right, to fight for the values and freedoms that are most precious to her.

My mom and I never fought during my teenage years, so as an act of rebellion, I registered Independent. Quite rebellious, I know. But my mom supported me in that decision, recognizing that my middle-of-the-road-fence-sitting is a natural progression through the developmental arch of my college-years. Chances are I’ll be a raging liberal one-year, only to turn into a voraciously vocal republican the next (especially once I start working in the real world, realizing that I actually want to keep my money, not give it all to the government). So while my mom and I might have a few political differences here and there, I am grateful to have inherited her desire to do something that will have a lasting impact, affect change, make the world a better place.

Besides, she and I are two women in a family of men. We enjoy being strong, independent, and driven in achieving our goals. Beating men at what they think is “their own game” is just the icing on the cake.

Oh. But as amazing and talented as my mother is, I do have one gripe about her and my upbringing. The candy drawer didn’t come into existence until after her grandchildren came into existence. What’s up with that…?!