Yes, this Sunday is Mother’s Day, and I want to pay tribute to my own mother. She was born on this day in 1915 and died in 2003. (Yes, I’m telling your age, Mom. 😊) You’ll just have to forgive me. But frankly, I hope I look as good as you did at 88. Mom was the epitome of “keeping on keeping on.” (A moto I have adopted as my own.) As an Air Force wife moving with my Dad every couple of years, you just had to have that attitude. You’d set up house, hang the pictures, make friends, and then you’d move and start all over again.
We were in Wichita Falls, Texas, and I’m guessing Mom was 45 or 50 here.
After 30 years in the Air Force, they retired in San Antonio, but after the grandkids arrived they moved to Fort Worth to be close to them (and by extension us.) LOL
Mother went back to work when I was in third grade as a professional secretary and worked most of her life for the Civil Service. She kept Colonels and Generals organized and doing their best work. After my father died, Mom retired. Everyone told her she should do that, but she was miserable and decided to return to work. This time for a large multinational company headquartered in Fort Worth, working for one of the senior managers.
Top pic is of a Mother’s Day at the Country Club with Kathryn & Laura in the very late 1990s. I was an assistant principal. Mother loved to go to CC for these celebrations.
Bottom pic is Senior party for Kathryn or Laura which would be in 1992 or 1995.
After a series of ministrokes, my older daughter and I convinced Mom to move to a retirement center. I gotta say she wasn’t very happy with me, but it was really for the best. Ultimately, she settled in and became an important part of that community, handling the monthly residents’ newsletter and making sure all the little ladies and gentlemen had what they needed. She was a caregiver in the best sense of the word, and she kept on keeping on even after a series of broken bones tried to slow her down.
This pic sits on my dresser. Mom was always dressed so well, guess it was all the years in the upper eschelons of the Air Force and business. She was always put together. She was dressed for a Christmas party in this pic.
After one of those broken bone episodes, I showed up with a motorized scooter, and she sent me and it packing. Said, she’d be up and walking on her own soon and wouldn’t need that “thing,” which she saw as being for old people. And Mom was never an “old person.” And she did get back on her feet.
It was only after the 4th time she received hospice care that we lost her. Even at the end she kept on keeping on.
Almost every day, I think of Mom, something she taught me or something to ask or those times that made me nuts! LOL Both of us are strong women, and sometimes we butted heads. But I never doubted her love and faith in me. I hope I covey that love and faith to my own daughters who are both awesome mothers to their kids and creative, strong women. We are blessed to live in the same town with them and to be a part of their lives.
If you’re fortunate to have your mother with you, make sure you tell her how much you love and appreciate her. She won’t always be there.
Given the two shooting events we’ve recently experienced here in Texas, I’d be remiss not to mention this. Please consider urging your legislators to do more than offer than “thoughts and prayers.” Surely, we can come to some agreement around common sense gun laws. Not taking your gun or mine, but young people and people like the shooter in Allen with mental health issues shouldn’t be allowed to buy these weapons of war.
And yes, I’m very emotional about this issue. I’m a Mom and a Mimi. How can I not hurt for those mothers who lost their babies? How can I not fear for my own?
Having said that, I’m sure you join me in praying for the survivors and all who were traumatized by these events.
My newsletter went out last week. You really should sign up. 😊 Here’s the link.
https://mailchi.mp/27f0df51e66b/giveaways-and-events
If you answer my question there, you have a chance to win one of my e-books. 🙂
Marsha R. West, Author 
What a touching tribute to your mum, Marsha. Mother’s Day can be a special time of year, but I always think it’s very hard on those who have lost their own mothers, no matter how old they now are. Your mum must have been someone special to raise such a lovely family. We’ve already had our Mother’s Day in the UK. Wishing you all the best on yours x
LikeLiked by 1 person
Happy Mother’s Day, Marsha. A wonderful heartfelt post.
My mother was also born in 1915. I think of her and my dad almost every day. And about how blessed I am to have had such loving parents.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hey, Helena. Thanks for your kind words. Yes. My mom was special. I always worry about how this holiday affects women who are not moms in the traditional way. I figure anyone who is nurturing and kind plays the role of mother. I hope you had a great day when you celebrated. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
LikeLike
Hey, Susan, Your comment got post under Henlena’s. Oh, expert techie, me. LOL I too, think of my parents often. Thanks so much for stopping by. Hope you have a great day. Since you’ve moved, I guess you get to see your sons way more often than before. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
LikeLike