My Mother

For mother's day, I wanted to write a few random memories about my mother. She is 83 years old and still pretty young for her age.

--My mother had the patience of Job. I remember that she rarely raised her voice, but when she did, we knew she meant it and we better scramble to obey. :)

--My mother used to sing alot. I remember her singing, "Waters ripple and flow....stay no longer with me..." ♪♪ She also liked to sing the men's choral numbers from the hymn book.

--My mother often danced around the kitchen too. I don't think I can describe her kind of dancing, but as a kid I thought it was geeky. :) But it is a fond memory because she enjoys dancing. Her and my father danced very well together. They were very graceful. I think part of it is because they grew up in an era when people danced alot.

--My mother LOVES onions. When she was a little toddler she would cry for onions. Her parents would give her a green onion and she would sit and munch on it. It was so hot that tears would stream down her face, but she loved it anyway. She thinks she craved them because she didn't get many fresh vegetables as a child, but she still loves onions today.

--Mom joined a "hobby club". Every month they would get together and work on some craft project. They did some really neat ones. These weren't chintzy projects, they were really cool.

--My mother also helped with the polling booths during elections. She also took census. She always kept busy with either community service like that, or doing geneology.

--My parents had a friend who came from a family of 7 children. But something happened to their parents, and the children were put in foster homes. He ran away from the foster home and joined the army. He was too young, but somehow faked his birth certificate. That was the last he saw of his siblings. My mother did the research and found all of his living siblings for him. He was so touched, and so grateful that he made her a beautiful cedar chest.

--My mother is a wonderful artist. When I was a child I loved to watch her draw. She would draw pictures for me in church sometimes. (not for a long time). I always wished I could draw like her. When I was about 10, she took some painting classes. For her birthday my Dad gave us some money and told us kids we could go buy her an easel. We were so proud to give that easel to her. It took a number of years before I got my turn, but I finally got one of her paintings.

--My mother grew up in humble circumstances. I've posted this before, but here is a picture of the home she grew up in.
I'm so thankful to have such a patient, strong, and loving mother. I think it has shaped my entire world. I hope I can pass some of that on to my own children, so they too can have that sweetness in life.