Memories of Mom

My mom is an amazing woman. During her life, she has been sweet and loving, thoughtful and kind, spunky and irritating, but now she is old and tired. She is still all those wonderful things, but it is just really sad to see the real her going away a little bit at a time. My mom is 90 and has lived a very productive and happy life, except for the part where my dad died 20 years ago and left her to do this last part alone. She has lived from riding a horse to school, no TV or even telephones in every home, to the boom of the age of information & technology and all that entails. She never did really figure out how to use a computer, but she appreciated that her children could master such mysteries. She gloried in the achievements of her children and grandchildren, basked in the associations of good family and friends, trudged thru the hard times with a positive attitude and demonstrated the "endure to the end" as best she could. The "end" is swiftly approaching, but she is still giving it her all and we are all blessed for having been loved by her.

My dad loved her. It was simple and pure and they argued and frustrated each other just like all married couples, but I always knew how much they adored each other. Mom always felt so blessed that dad would love a fat girl. Mom would never start her meal before dad got there - the kids could eat, but she would wait to share hers with him. It didn't matter how late he got in from whatever he was doing. When he needed a lunch in the fields, she always put on the whole spread - not just a sandwich and a drink. They never slept in separate rooms or separate beds. The night dad died, I went and spent the night with mom and slept in her bed, so she wouldn't be alone that night. It was probably for me as much as for her; I didn't get to say goodbye to him - he went too fast - at least mom got to hold his hand one more time before he passed. He respected all women, but most of all mom. He never let the girls be around when he had indelicate farm stuff to do. He had to let mom help occasionally when there was no one else who could. She made endless trips to town for parts and farm necessities, and waited endless hours in the car while he did farm business. He was a hard worker and provided for our family to the best of his ability. I never wanted to disappoint him. If I did something wrong, my worst punishment would be to have to tell him what I had done...which mom made me do - for my own good.

They loved to dance together and sing and play and work. We didn't go on vacations together, having cows to milk twice a day was how we survived, but the fun times were plentiful in family dinners and games and memorable activities right at home. They would "go for a drive" and I was blessed to be able to go with them (I don't think I had much choice), but they loved to look at the land and other people's crops and appreciate the bounties the Lord provided to all, friends and neighbors alike. My siblings and their spouses and all those nieces and nephews would come home and we would have wonderful family times. I always wanted to be married, so I would fit into that group...instead of being one of the kids. Ironic, now that I'm finally married to someone who would fit into that group, we live too far away to participate in stuff like that. Each of my brothers & sisters are grandparents now and building their own family memories...the cycle continues.I'm grateful for the life I have been blessed with.

My mom and dad were irreplacable, as all moms and dads should be. Soon she will be with dad again and will be waiting for all of us to join them, so we can have more of those fun family times together. May we all live so we can be together again...as an eternal family. May we continue to teach our little ones (and those not so little anymore) that it is always worth the effort to choose the right, to believe in ourselves and to want to be our best - just like mom and dad.