“A mother is the one who fills your heart in the first place.” – Amy Tan
Today is my mother’s birthday. She’s been gone on to heaven now for almost ten years. I still miss her. She was one of those best moms ever. Birthdays were always a time for a family celebration. While we might not have always celebrated on the exact date, we did always celebrate her birthday every year.
What a blessing it was to have had her so near to me all my life. I never lived more than a few miles away from where she lived. I visited with her on a lot of Sunday afternoons. When my children were little we would go for dinner after church every other Sunday. She would usually have either roast or her version of spaghetti made with macaroni instead. The kids loved it. For dessert we often had blackberry pie. She always had a welcome for us. Always a smile and a hug. The grandkids thought she hung the moon and she thought they did.
She was a farmwife. She worked beside my dad when he needed her. She cooked for workhands. She gardened and canned and froze the produce. She enjoyed growing different things. She and Dad once grew peanuts and then she made peanut brittle with them. She made the most delicious homemade doughnuts. Sometimes she would do that when my kids were staying overnight. They loved that.
She was a mom who was always right there cheering us on in everything we did at school. Or wherever. She read my stories and was my biggest fan. She and her sisters were the inspiration for my Rosey Corner books, especially the first one, Angel Sister. I based my main character, Kate’s personality and can-do attitude on Mom. She cut out any newspaper articles about my books and kept the clippings forever. She kept copies of the stories and articles I published before I wrote my books. We found all that when we went through her things after she passed away.
She claimed to not like cats, but then had a cat named Maggie that she let come in the house. She bottle-fed baby calves. She raised baby chicks. She saved my pet banty rooster from a hawk by running at it, furiously waving a dishtowel. She let me have a dog. She loved feeding the birds.
She never complained about the hard work of being a farmwife or that our house lacked many conveniences others took for granted. She just buckled down and did whatever needed doing. When anyone was sick in the family, she was there first in line to take care of them. Her father. Her mother. Dad’s mother and father. Dad’s sister. Her sisters. Her aunt and uncle. Even Dad’s uncle by marriage and his brother. My sisters and me. And of course, Dad. She overflowed with compassion and love.
She loved word games and playing cards. She wore out a crossword dictionary working crossword puzzles. She made the best crackerjacks in the world. She liked to watch Jeopardy. She loved to read. She collected bird figurines and her shelves got so full she had to tell us not to give her any more.
So many memories swirl around in my head. But the best memory of all was how she loved me. Happy heavenly birthday, Mom. You were the best mother I could have ever had.
“A mother’s hug lasts long after she lets go.” – Leonardo DiCaprio
What’s something you can say your mother was or is if you are fortunate to still have her with you?
Comments 16
I miss my precious mama so much. I was blessed to care for her for nine months before she passed. She was so loving, kind, compassionate, and such an example in her Christian walk. She never met a stranger and was always helping others. There aren’t enough words to describe how wonderful she was and how much I miss her. Thank you for sharing about your mama.
Author
It’s so heartwarming to hear about loving and wonderful mothers, Lucy. Thanks for sharing about yours. No wonder you miss her.
My Mom was a great cook. After my brother and I was in school, by Dad bought a 2nd car that enabled her to take a job at the school lunchroom. They made the best yeast rolls, homemade soup, and spaghetti. In the summer we had a big garden and canned and froze a lot of food for the winter. She was always active in church and Bible school in the summer. She was there for my brother and me when we needed to talk something over. She has been gone for almost 22 years, and I sure do miss her.
Author
She sounds like the best mom ever. And it’s great to have a good cook at school as well as at home. Yeast rolls at school sounds wonderful.
Thanks for sharing about her, Connie.
My Mama went to Heaven on Feb. 5, 2013. I miss her so much. My Daddy went to Heaven on Easter Sunday, April, 12, 1998. I miss him so much. I’m thankful to have had wonderful earthly parents who showed me how to love others. They taught me the love of God. Thinking of you as you miss your Mom.
Author
Thank you for your sweet thoughts, Melissa. We do miss our parents when they are no longer with us. Like you, I had much to be thankful for with my parents.
My mom was a single mom for most of my young childhood after my dad left us. She worked hard to do everything herself. But we always had good food and a nice place to live. She made a fantastic blackberry cobbler and loved to try out new recipes. She could stretch a dollar further than anyone I know. She was crafty and enjoyed many hobbies until arthritis took over in later years. She loved going to yard sales and flea markets, looking for bargains. She was my biggest influencer and fan when I started my Etsy shop. And she loved having her grandkids and great grandkids come to visit. She loved throwing a party or just having everyone over. We always celebrated the holidays at her house and she had huge cookouts every summer for family and friends. We were all at her house the year two of my daughter-in-laws went into labor and gave us Christmas Eve babies. It was her home where my youngest son announced he was going to be a dad. My mom was a great memory maker.
Her funeral was 5 years ago today. Thank you for allowing me to share about her here Ann. Although bittersweet, it’s good to take a walk down memory lane with our mothers.
Author
What precious memories, Lavon. It is such a blessing to have a good mother and sounds as if yours was great at holding the family together and making sure everybody and everything got taken care of.
So neat that you got the joy of those Christmas Eve babies after you were all at your Mom’s house.
Thank you so much for walking down that memory lane and sharing about your wonderful mother.
The first memory verse my mother taught me, Romans 12:21, has carried me through life.
Author
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21 (NKJ)
That is a good verse for your mother to teach you, Diana. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if everyone did some dwelling on the wisdom in that verse? Thank you for sharing the Scripture reference.
My mom will be gone 6 years now. She was a hard worker. We also had gardens which we worked and canned a lot of the produce for the winter months. She loved to read especially Christian fiction. I miss her hugs.
Author
She sounds like a wonderful mother, Sharon. I’m sure you learned so much working with her. And those hugs are all stored in your heart now.
My Mom passed four years ago, December of 2020. She was one of my biggest cheerleaders (Daddy was the other one). She loved me no matter what, and was my best friend.
Author
It is so very good to have had a mother who was also your friend, Trudy. I had that with my mother too. I’m sure you have many sweet memories of times together with both your parents. I think the love our parents so freely gave us stays with us forever.
My mom is here right now with me staying the night as I recover from leg surgery. She’s always there when I have surgery.
Author
What a blessing a loving mother is, Deborah. I’m glad your mother is able to be there with you to help. Hope your recovery is fast and complete.