Hi John! It's me, Deb, and I told Fritz that all I wanted for Mother's day was access to his email, so here I am!

On March 4, 1980, JD came into this world in a big way: 10 lbs, 2 oz, and 22 1/2 inches in length. As his mom, it is my duty to remind him of that every year on his birthday. The first shoes we put on his feet at around 4-5 months of age, were size 5. When his feet stopped growing at 16 years old, he wore size 16 shoes. It took a few years but he finally grew into his feet as a young adult, bringing us continued entertainment through his participation in baseball, basketball and even a few years of curling and tennis.

As an adult, JD has a sense of wanderlust and has used his athletic skills to travel around the world even into his middle age years. These adventures have offered him the opportunity to view the world and its many cultures with an open mind and a respect for those who have not had the same life experiences as he has had.

I am most proud of JD because he has a kind heart and he has always stood up for family, elders, persons with disabilities, children and others who are vulnerable to life's hardships. He certainly has surprised us many times with his choices, but entering the political arena was the biggest shock that we, as parents, experienced. It fits though, as he is advocating for those who are not able to be heard by policy and decision makers. His altruism has always made this mother very proud.

I hope JD's work will inspire future candidates, no matter how unlikely, to try and fill his shoes, figuratively, but probably not literally.

Talk to you soon,

Deb

A.K.A: Momma Scholten

P.S. Hi John, J.D. here, and I wanted to add a little bit to what my mom said.

I became the man I am today because of my parents, but especially because of my mom. She taught me to Stand Tall for All, to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves, and she fostered an unabashed love for our community.

We are all a part of this movement in one way or another because of our mom's and what they taught us. Happy Mothers Day, and thank you for everything you do.

J.D.