Remembering Mom

If Mom were still with us she would have been 90 today! In some way, it is a blessing that she isn’t and that she went when she did. Because unlike circumstances now, we wouldn’t have had the chance to rally around her as a family in her last few days; to sing, laugh, worship, pray and celebrate her life and the sense of humor she had. For that I am forever grateful. I certainly sympathize with those who lost love ones to the virus and didn’t get a chance to say their goodbyes.

In reflection this morning, I was trying to remember what her favorite dessert was. She was fond of all of them so it is hard to pinpoint only one that I would call her favorite. But, the rest of us, we all had our favorites, and what I do remember is her always making them for our special day. For Dad- I believe it was red velvet cake, Barbara would have been the cherry pudding (which was a sweet bread type loaf cake with a homemade cherry sauce); for Butch it was a lemon layer cake with rich lemony goodness between the layers; for David I am pretty sure it was always a simple chocolate cake; Donna would be strawberry shortcake or in later years cotton pickin’ cake; and for me as a child it was carrot cake and later I loved her strawberry/rhubarb cobbler. Speaking of desserts, I sure do miss her green apple dumplings. Nobody made them like hers.

As a child, every year I asked her what she wanted for her birthday and every year she always said the same thing. My gift to her was an ironing board cover- what a lame birthday present. But, hers would always be worn out by the time her birthday came around and she could said she needed it- I don’t seem to have that problem. But, this just re-enforces who she was as a mom, wife and person. Always taking care of others.

Dad, on the other hand, I knew what to get him. At four years old, I gave him a really nice blue, bouncy ball. Every dad needs one of those, right? So he can play with his little girl. What sweet memories. Today, I celebrate with both of them and the peace they now have, together in heaven. Happy Birthday, Mom! I love you! These flowers are for you….