Open Thread – Happy Mother’s Day!
My mom saved everything. And so did her mom. I come by my pack rat nature honestly. As many of you know, my mom recently passed away, and this is the first Mother’s Day that I don’t have one. So, it was bittersweet when I got something back from her belongings recently, that I’d given more years ago than I can remember.
Like many moms, she saved every macaroni necklace, every hideous Christmas pin, every project made of popsicle sticks, every finger painting and every card I ever sent her. But, for some reason this one struck me most. Maybe it’s because I have a vague memory of actually making this little craft project and being really happy with the way it turned out. Or maybe it’s because I remember the giant smile she gave, and the “Oh, Jeannie!” and the way her hand flew to her chest as though I had just presented her with the Mona Lisa.
Happy Mother’s Day to all. Hug ’em if you got ’em!
Love and bless us all! I cried before the picture came up with it’s sweet buttonlike eyes (o:
Thank you Jeanne and all for sharing precious memories.
What wonderful MOM stories, thank you all.
I phoned my mum, got breakfast in bed, and a phone call from the college kid away for the summer… It was a great day.
A short time ago I finished this book for the eldest (I’ve bought another for little MiniMe, but at 6 she is too young still for me to know how to complete it for her, so it will sit a while).
http://www.amazon.com/Dear-Daughter-Book-Wisdom-Lifetime/dp/1846013577/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1304914173&sr=1-2
It was bittersweet writing this book for her — it begins with memories of my own childhood and ends with my hopes for her future — there’s a lot of re-hashing of life lessons learned in between. She says she loved the book. I hope that it will be something that she can treasure forever.
Because we had MiniMe when we were “mature” parents (nearly 40) I’ve kept a journal that both my hsuband & I write in for her as often as we can remember to do so. She will have 15 less years with us than her sister did, who knows what will happen, so I document our love for her in various ways. My latest project for the book is the “how we met” story of her father & me. Wouldn’t it be fabulous to know how your parents met & fell in love? I’m still waiting for my husband to write his version of the story. He can’t read mine until he’s written his…
I love being a mom.
Happy Mother’s Day to all of the mothers out there. And to all of the children of mothers. I think that covers everyone, right?
Besos!
Happy Mother’s Day to every mother, grandmother, future mother, and mothering type. This is the first time I’m posting on MY computer from the BF’s place: we set up a wireless router, so now I don’t have to wait for him to fall asleep to get my Mudflats on.
Health and peace. Btw, AKM, love the tribute to your beautiful mother.
Hugs. This first Mother’s Day after Mom’s death is hitting me hard, too. I am so glad you have that lovely memento of your childhood with her–it’s very well done, too!
My mum is 84. I’m going to ring her in the morning .
I’ve had a wonderful, sniffly time reading through your post, AKM, and through all the comments. My mother died 6 years ago. I was an only child, and my mother was widowed when I was 8, so even though she remarried, we had an especially close relationship. Sometimes that can be good, sometimes not as much..but she was smart, hard-working, sassy, supportive, and a saver of everything I ever made for her, just as yours was. I think, if you’re a middle-aged or older, you don’t quite expect your mother’s death to be as difficult to deal with as it is. I’ve heard that over and over, and I see it reflected here. I miss my mother every day-so much comes up that I want to talk to her about! But it does get better over time, and those mementos you find bring back the warmth and strength our mothers gave us. Happy Mother’s Day to you all.
I know I’m one of the lucky ones; My Mom is 91 and still an inspiration. Her life was one of struggle, not comfort. Yet, she does not see it that way at all. She still wakes every morning knowing she has something to contribute; something to do for others. Of all the lessons she has demonstrated to me (because she never preached, she showed), this was the greatest. My mother is, and always was, a Warrior Mom, strongest woman I know.
Recently, a friend forwarded to me the following from Wikipedia about the original Mother’s Day Proclamation, and it hit such a chord in me. Mother’s Day is not what Hallmark has created. The day we bring our son’s and daughters home from war, THAT is Mother’s Day:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother's_Day_Proclamation
There are so many things I wish I would have asked my Mother about before her time came. There are so many things about Mom and Dad that I will never know because I didn’t take the time to ask. My parents were married in Hannibal,Missouri. I knew that much from reading my Dad’s obituary back in 1980. I never knew how many siblings Dad had,I only met one brother of his and only knew my Maternal Grandmother. All other Grandparents passed before I showed up. Please don’t let regrets fill you with remorse and bitterness. Ask while you have the opportunity and pass the information along in some kind of diary or family history for your children and their children.
Happy Mother’s day to all you Mothers out there.
I lost my mother when I was 30 years old . She died when only 54, but I have so many good memories of her—as we played golf together, were on the same bowling team, and since we both worked—-had lunch together everyday. She truly spoiled me. I am sad that she is not here to see all the grandkids grow up.
I treasure all my Mother’s Day cards , and keep them in my cookbooks—-along with all the birthday cards that I have received thru the years. Most precious are the ones that are drawn by the grandsons. Love my NANA cards!
I started on a major (or so I thought) cleanup of the guest room closet and chest of drawers yesterday – you know, those voids the demand filling with all sorts of odds and ends. I came upon our son’s burlap portrait of Curious George done in kindergarten decades ago. Well, it stayed in the drawer of course. I could never part with it. At the time, C. George was his alter ego and my “second child.” Now I’m a C. George grandma.
I also kept the shoebox filled with doll clothes that my mother made for Noel, the doll I got when I was five years old and still have.
I did manage to fill a large trash bag with stuff but didn’t manage to empty a drawer or shelf completely. I shudder to think what anyone will think when I’m gone. At least there will be room for summer guests in the chest of drawers – they’ll get the top two drawers. Drawer three has “stuff” like future gifts, etc., drawer four has fabric and linen for embroidery projects and drawer five has lots and lots of embroidery thread organized in plastic bags by color number.
It was a good pre-Mother’s Day project with lots of memories.
I, too, was a big saver of all the items my daughter made as she grew up….I even STILL save all the cards she sends for various occasions….all so, so special!! She’s 39 and doubt I’ll ever stop.
Happy Mother’s Day, Jeanne…..you truly are such a sweetheart to all of us.
The first Mother’s Day after Mom passed I went out for a long drive. No place in particular – just driving and thinking. At one point it popped in my head that I should go to the garden nursey that Mom went to every Mother’s Day. As I wandered outside through the tables of herbs and baby veggie plants I looked out over the back fence to the cemetary next door. My Mom had picked this place to be buried because it was in the country and right next to her very favorite place. ( That woman loved her gardening! )
Anyway, even though I had not been to her site since the funeral and had nooooo idea where she was buried ( i’m not big on cemetaries and such ) , I decided to just take a slow ride through and think of her. I told Mom, ” hey – if you want a visit, you’re going to have to get me there cuz I don’t have a clue . ”
Well sonofapup if she didn’t get me there ! This is a huge cemetary and I was entirely lost but kept listening to a little voice in my head. “Turn here, keep going , now bear left , around that bend, stop the car and get out , go up that hill , etc ” and then, sure enough, there it was. Mom’s grave, right next to my sister’s. I have a feeling I was the only person in the cemetary that Mother’s Day who was standing there , belly laughing.
Since that day, I’ve not been back. No need to. I talk to her all the time and know the connection is always open.
Happy Mother’s Day, All !
(((Buffalo Gal))) what a wonderful story!
will the circle be unbroken? by and by Lord. by and by.♫♪
by and by Lord ……
along with you Bubs ****
ha! I dislike like the idea of a cemetery so much that I won’t even spell it correctly.
Please adjust the above, as needed!
Your little craft project is really great – no wonder she was so pleased and saved it.
I had the same experience with Mother’s Day after my mom passed away. I really wanted to ignore it the first year but a friend, whose mom had passed away much earlier, reminded me that I’m a mom and my girls would want to celebrate the day. It is hard, though, to see the commercials and walk through a Hallmark store with all the reminders that I’ll not be buying any Mother’s Day cards or gifts ever again.
Speaking of Mother’s Day, this is the first one when we’ve been out of town. Way out of town. We just finished a three day cruise on the Disney Dream (the new one) and it was fabulous. So now we are back in Orlando and will have three more days to play in the Disney parks before we return to the cold and gloomy Pacific Northwest. On the front end of the cruise we spent one day at Uninversal to see Harry Potter (also fabulous) and one day at Epcot.
Now I need to go find a place to do some laundry. That sounds like fun on Mother’s Day, don’t cha think? 😉
WWWAAAAA!!!! I wanna go to DisneyWorld again !!!!…. hmmm… Alaska or Disney ? .. Alaska or Disney… Alaska or Disney….. nutjobs with dynamite, or big goverment in your personal life….decisions, decisions,,,, what’s a Calif progressive to do…. 🙂
Pat, glad you’re having a wonderful time! We’re up here (Seattle area) from northern (close to Tahoe) NV to help out my DD, who just had serious ankle surgery. It was sunny when we came up on Wed., but has rained on and off every day since. We’ll see what this week brings. I was born and raised in eastern WA, where we had to irrigate to grow crops–and you Seattlites would come to our side of the mountains to dry out.
My mom passed away in 1994 — she used to call me every Saturday morning at 9 am–and I’m still saying, “Damn it, mama! I want to talk with you!”
A Happy and memorable good Mother’s Day to all.
Can you stuff a little of that sunshine into your suitcase? 🙂
Oh, boy, I wish I could bring back even a little of the sun and warm weather. However, it was in the 90s today and that was too hot for me – until we went on Kali River Ride and I got more soaked than I’ve ever done. Even in that heat, it took me over an hour to dry out. But at least I cooled off.
My DS1 sent this to me today… enjoy. beth.
http://mashable.com/2011/05/06/mom-spam/
Happy Mother’s Day to all mudpup Moms, to all their Moms, and to all those who do Mom-things for ‘kids’…no matter the doer’s gender and/or biological and/or legal ties to said ‘kid’.
Quiet day here, for this Mom…have heard from all three of my kidlets {DS1, DS2, and for the first time, a DD! (via marriage to DS1, but I claim her as Daughter straight up)} and looking forward to a special dinner of ribs and potato salad tonight — courtesy of my sweetheart of almost 40-years.
Will call my 92.5-yo Mother later on this evening to wish her a Happy Mother’s Day and discuss, as we do every week, how we’ll straighten out the world’s affairs; she’s on the West Coast and I’m in the South East… I wish we could visit all the time, but alas, health issues and age have gotten in the way. We have the telephone, though, so that’s something. She’s still smart as a tack — mostly. I adore her. (Heh; one of the greatest compliments DH pays me is when he says: “You are just like your Mom!”) She birthed 5 children and adopted 2 more (sisters whose parents were friends of my parents and who were orphaned at ages 13 and 18); among a gazillion things she taught me about beauty and friendship and history and science and handicrafts and graciousness and faith and honesty and, well, everything, she taught me everything I know about unconditional love. She is, and will always be, my own personal Mother.
When I was 10, I gave her a packet of seeds for Mother’s Day. They were Forget-me-nots. Little did I comprehend, then, what a Mother’s love is. beth.
lovely Beth.
I am officially an orphan. Wanna sell your Mom? Keep your head above the water and a Happy Mother’s Day . Same to you Ms Bubbles.
thank you dear Mike.♥
Happy Mother’s Day to all of you who have given birth. also, a Happy Mother’s Day to all the rest of us who mother others. 🙂
Happy Mother’s Day, AKM, and Moms 🙂
And yes you do have a Mom, AKM. Like mine, she now resides in your heart- and her hugs are just a little softer.
Amen Boo. soft and sweet.
Happy Mother’s Day to all.
hugs, kisses and much love.♥♥♥
That artwork is absolutely precious, AKM. No wonder your mom treasured it.
Like Kathy said, the first year after she’s gone is the very worst one. It’s been 21 years for me getting used to the idea of my mom being gone. But she’s never forgotten.
Much love to you and yours today, Jeanne, and to Linda, Shannyn, and all the mudpups.
Happy Mothers Day- it is bittersweet, indeed. I lost my mother when I was 19, so my sister and I raised each other. She passed away in February, valiantly battling cancer for the fourth time. I will be treated to brunch with husband, and daughter who still lives in Denver… but it’s not quite the same.
Treasure your time with your mom and sisters, hug your memories close to your chest.
Enjoy your brunch today CO, we will be munching on hot dogs in Boulder. I am sure your husband and daughter will make it a special day for you.
Happy Mother’s Day, Mudpups!
The most amazing thing I ever learned about motherhood came with the birth of our second of four children. Up to that point in my life, I loved one mother, one father, one sister, one brother, one husband, one mother-in-law, etc.( you get the idea).
I was somewhat apprehensive about being capable of loving TWO children. The lesson I learned was that a mother’s love differs from anything we’ve ever thought we knew about love. A mother’s love is boundless and encircles all of her children in equally deep and wide dimensions…different, but equal.
The world is a better place because of motherly love.
It is plain to see where the “Donald” got his inspiration for a hair do and little beady eyes. State of Florida recently passed a bill making it illegal for doctors to mention guns and the dangers they pose to patients and their children. The doctors could lose their license to practice medicine and appears that preventive medical measures are a dying art,at least with rethugs.My comment on this story was if your child or someone else’s child is killed while playing with your weapon,you at least have the smug satisfaction of knowing you didn’t HAVE to tell the doctor you had a gun in your house. Another victory bought by and paid for by the NRA,the only bunch of malcontents that apparently were raised by Gay wolves. I don’t believe they ever knew a Mother’s kindness,which is rilly sad for Mother’s Day. For all Mothers past,present and future,have a memorable and happy,carefree Mother’s Day. Now what’s for hot grunt?
AKM-no disrespect intended for your truly magnificent and soon to make you rich and famous artistry. I can almost smell potatoes from the burlap background.
So much for suicide prevention. does that include social workers or.professional counselors? when doing assessments for.someone.who may be a danger to.themselves OR OTHERS, asking if someone has guns is critical. In a duty to.warn situation. I can see a lawsuit filled.against the state in very short order. And just who do they think they are interfering in doctor/patient conversa….. oh never mind, I forgot.about abortions….
So…they are not allowed to discuss guns, or the dangers of playing with them, but they are required to explain every detail of an abortion?
And the republicans describe this as smaller, less intrusive government?
Happy Mothers day to all and to my mom, who died almost 5 years ago. I think about her every day!
The Sunday comic are always fun to read on Mother’s Day to see their take on the day.
Hi and Lois get in what might be a swipe on Ms. Palin:
https://www.arcamax.com/thefunnies/hiandlois/
Happy Mudder’s Day to all who qualify!
Tina Fey made the news here in Ireland. 🙂
Last night Tina Fey resurrected her acclaimed impersonation of Sarah Palin on ‘Saturday Night Live.
In the sketch, a skit on the Republican 2012 Undeclared Candidates Debate, the comedienne eviscerated the former Alaskan governor’s relationship with a certain news network.
“It’s just so great to be back on Fox News, a network that both pays me and shows me the questions ahead of time,” Fey’s Palin said. “I just hope tonight that the lamestream media won’t twist my words by repeating them verbatim.”
http://www.rte.ie/ten/2011/0508/feyt.html
Happy Mother’s Day to you all. I have to work today so no brunches or any other fun stuff. 🙁
My thoughts are with all of you who are missing their mothers today.
Thank you, AKM. Right back atcha. Taking Miss Suzie her supper later on. She may or may not remember the day, but she does remember I am making her Swiss steak (her recipe)! She already called to make sure it was in the crock pot. Good to go.
xxxxxxxxx Happy Mother’s Day! xxxxxxxxx
to all mothers, grandmothers, and ‘motherers’.
‘Hug ‘em if you got ‘em’ and hug the memories closer today if they have passed on.
AKM, I smiled when I read your ‘pack rat’ tribute. This morning, for some reason, while passing my desperately-need-cleaning desk to go to my computer corner an old decorated envelope caught my eye so I pulled it out and opened it. The message:
“Dear Mom,
Happy Mother’s Day!
I love you! Thank
you for the hugs and
kisses. Today I will
set the table after
supper.
Love, c….”
I burst out laughing. I have no idea when it was written or why it should have caught my eye this particular morning because I’ve been happily ignoring that messy desk for AGES. I basically neaten the piles of paper on it, tidy the magazine boxes when it draws my attention, or mouth ‘later’. The irony – One Son (as I refer to him) left a week ago on an international summer internship programme so I won’t hear from him until later (?), and he’s not been the type to think ahead to the point of laying a card, old or otherwise, for it to be discovered. Nevertheless, this is as meaningful to me as when I first received it. Enjoy the day, everyone!
Vyccan, “set the table AFTER supper.” That is adorable!
Happy Mother’s Day everyone. Looking forward to all the new books to read!
Just shows how much help he was (and continues to be) not around the house, but his heart is good! I know it was not ‘good mothering’, but I was (and am) one of those who preferred to fiddle around on my own re meal preparation (and laundry). Somehow, helpers never seem to put stuff in the right place!
Had a wonderful Mother’s Day lunch yesterday at a restaurant with a great ocean view. After we raised our glasses to toast Mother’s Day, I made another toast to my Mom, who would have been 90 years old yesterday. As we lowered our glasses, we saw a flash of lightning followed by a loud clap of thunder. Coincidence? Not to me! Happy Birthday Mom, and Happy Mother’s Day to all.
happy mothers day AKM! it is bittersweet. it’s been over 30 years since my mother was alive. now i’m the mother, my friends are mothers, you’re a mother, this is your day. best wishes to ALL the mothers alive or not.
Barbara, I also lost my mom over 30 years ago – and I miss her to this day. I still have dreams about her so I am in touch. She was/is one special lady to me!
Ohh, that’s a Mothers’ Day gift any mom would be proud to have (and save).
Happy Mothers’ Day!
This is a difficult day for many of us, I think. We may be mothers ourselves but Mothers Day belongs to OUR Moms. Missing her today more than usual.
Happy Mothers Day all…and, as Jeanne said “Hug ’em if you got ’em “.
Happy Mother’s Day to all the Mom Mudpups too!
Lost my Mom 6 yrs ago, but her crafts projects and those she saved of mine never fail to bring a tear.
AKM, I hope your children will keep you busy by providing a sweet Mother’s Day to you. First time missing Mom is the hardest. I just wish you a nice one with your Family & Buf.
Happy Mother’s Day to all you MudPups of the female gender ! 🙂
(((AKM))). Your craft project is beautiful. We had Mother’s Day a few weeks ago!
I’m just reading Goeffry Dunn’s Book Salon at FDL and it is absolutely rivetting. I can’t wait to get his book this week and Bailey’s book later this month.
http://fdlbooksalon.com/2011/05/07/fdl-book-salon-welcomes-geoffrey-dunn-the-lies-of-sarah-palin-the-untold-story-behind-her-relentless-quest-for-power/
God bless you, AKM. It gets less heart-renderingly sad over time.
Happy mother’s day to those of you who have been blessed to have or have had a good one. For those of you who are mothers, be the best that you can be at one of the most challenging and rewarding ventures of your life. Think about leaving good memories for children and don’t be unduly amazed or horrified when you see yourself in your offspring.