minnie.

here's proof that elvis is still alive. 'cause minnie pearl is too.

actually, your eyes are deceiving you. that's my mama. but she is minnie pearl as often as she gets the chance. and when she is dressed as herself, her minnie pearl garb is never far away. but the truth is, she is good at it. really good at it. she knows her, she has studied her. if sara cannon (the real minnie pearl) were alive today, i think she would like what she saw.

i have always said if my mama was a teenager or young adult today and had the means, she would move to hollywood and be famous. because she has it. you know the "it" factor. she has it.

tomorrow, she will be in the local clarksville paper, the leaf chronicle. a reporter came out and took pictures and did a write up about her and she will be a feature story in the paper tomorrow.

wednesday, she is going to be on "more at mid day," a show on at noon on channel four, doing her thang. she will be doing a short gig...she hasn't eaten since she's found out... gotta look good on the tel-e-vis-ion.

on october 17, at 4:00 in the afternoon, she will be performing at the ryman in nashville with nine other talented individuals for a prize of $5,000. she believes she will win. i think she just might.

i say all this to brag on my mama, but also just to tell you how proud i am of her.

my dad has had parkinson's disease since i was in high school. soon after he was diagnosed, he had to give up what he loved most, his work. my dad was always good with his hands and his job relied on him being skilled and steady with his fingers, parkinson's goes after those fine motor skills first. my mom unwavering has taken care of my dad, even when she wanted to get out and go, she would sit with him and take care of him, never complaining. when he got so bad several years ago, that he needed more care, she took a leave from work for about a year just to be with him and to love him. my mom is a busy body, and staying at home is not her thing, she stayed at home. she sat with him. she sat in silent with him. she was just with him and loved him through it all. he is a better man, husband and father, because he has my mama as his wife.

you know what they say, behind every good man, is a strong woman. well, that's the case with my parents. they would not be more different, but together, they make such a complete team.. i am very fortunate in my life to have them to come home to and to call mom and dad. this i know for sure.

so when my mom is minnie, i feel like she has an escape, she is not jane. she is not my mama, she is not my dad's wife. she is minnie pearl. it is her escape. it is her fun. and she loves it. and i love nothing more than to watch a person do something they excel in and love to do.

so if you are in the nashville area and looking for some entertainment next saturday, come to the ryman, that's where i'll be. watching my mama perform, and do her thing just as minnie pearl did so very long ago on that same stage.

you go mom!