Mommy ~ Mom ~ My Mother

Me and my MOMMY

My mother ~ the most amazing woman!
Her loving, nurturing nature made me feel so safe and cherished. Not that I didn't ever feel her wrath - rather the fly swatter - on my backside. I always knew that I had it coming, though. She totally believed in spanking - on the bottom - NOT with her hand - the rivits on our jeans hurt her hand.
She made home so comfortable, but thoroughly CLEAN! Our floors shined, beds were always made, dishes done and put away, porches swept, and laundry so white it was the envy of the neighbors.
She had a green thumb when it came to growing flowers. She loved having a pretty yard.
She had a strong work ethic. Being a widow with 4 little ones and not willing to go on any type of assistance (whether it be from the state or the church) she did many things. She tended neighbor kids, ironed and cleaned for people in our ward, cleaned a motel down on south Country Club Dr. All this and kept up the yard and house and chickens. Later after dad and 4 more little ones were added to our family, she kept up the house, yard, babies, and helped with the animals, and in the fields.
She sewed, mended, quilted, bottled fruit, made bread, and made sure the cookie jar was full. She read to us every night, and the cadence of her voice was so soothing. She had a knack for reciting poems and readings. She loved to sing and taught me sunday school & primary songs, nursery rhymes, and finger plays that I loved then, and can now teach my grand daughter.
She made life a joy for us kids! ...played board games with us. ...made sure we always had books to read, crayons to color with, and stuff & things to do whatever with. Before plastic wading pools, she filled wash tubs in the back yard for us to cool off in . She allowed us to roam the neighborhood and have the freedom to stay out after dark in the summertime. She hauled us to grandma & grandad's and to family reunions ~ family was everything to her! She was willing to stop at scenic byways & overlooks and let us eat junk food in the car as we sang together or played 20 questions. Traveling with her was always fun.
Her service and compassion to others was stellar. Her tenderness in caring for her mother and her mother-in-law, and dad's step mother (even though at times that was really hard) was such an example to me.
I will always admire the dilligence with which she performed her church callings. I never heard her complain. Her obedience is something I need to strive to match.
I loved talking to her as a teenager ~prying stories of her youth out of her.
She taught me so much in my young married days over the phone ('cause I didn't pay enough attention when I was still at home).
As a new mother her advice was so welcome.
As a working woman it was such a comfort to be able to stop by her house and get a hug at lunch time.
I will never get over the urge to crawl up on her lap and breathe in her scent and feel her softness...

Mom, I miss you! You are my heroine! If you weren't my mother, I would have chosen you for my best friend. I aspire to be like you. You are the most beautiful woman I have been blessed to know. I LOVE YOU!