Mama

I love living in Texas, but at the same time it is so hard to live this far from my Mama! As an adult I can truly say my mom has become one of my best friends. We share so much, despite the distance.

Until I had a teenager of my own I didn't realize how tough my mom had it when we were teenagers. I mean the woman had THREE teenagers plus 2 babies in the house all at the same time.....with ONE bathroom!

Dad was gone a lot for work so she did it all. She built our house, with Grandpa's guidance...but she did much of the work herself. When the car broke down along the side of the road...sometimes she could fix it! She was our plumber, our baker, our doctor, our nurse, our teacher, our chauffer. She was a stay at home mom until I was in high school.

She sure had a knack for making us feel special. When Dad would go on late night fishing trips it became tradition that she'd take us out somewhere special to eat. Eating out was a very rare treat for our family. I remember the first of these trips was to Maxine's Steak House for Chicken Fried Steak! Yum!

For years the family car was a pickup truck that Dad bought brand new in 1969. The seats next to or on Mom were the fought-over seats. When it was just us three older kids one sat on Mom's lap, one beside her and one beside Dad. No none wanted to sit next to Dad because the gear shift was in the way!!!

I've never been that great at talking about how I'm feeling, etc., so Mom encouraged me to write to her if I needed to talk to her. She completely understood my difficulties and this helped tremendously. I'd write her a note when something was bothering me and would usually slip it into a pocket of her bathrobe hanging on its post. When she'd get ready for bed at night she'd find it and come sit with me and we'd talk about whatever was on my mind.

I always loved walks with Mama. We'd walk to Grandma's house. We'd walk in the woods. We'd walk in the field. We walked in the snow. We even walked in the rain on occasion. When I was in grade school I was a runner and loved it when Mom would run with me. She didn't often, but I loved it when she did. One occasion I asked her to run with me as we were walking home from Grandma's. That's the day she told me she couldn't.....because she was going to have another baby! I was sooooo excited!!!

My mom has the biggest heart of anyone I know. And right now it's breaking. But you wouldn't know it to talk to her. Her heart breaks for my youngest brother Levi. He sits in a prison drug rehab center as I type this. She continues to help him, even in ways she shouldn't, because she can't bear to feel like she's deserting him when she feels she's the only one left for him. Her heart also breaks for her own daddy. Grandpa has been ill for some time and he's not doing so well lately. Doctors told him over 2 years ago he only had another year. And her husband, my step dad Jerry, has emphysema and is on oxygen. Most days he does ok, but there are times he's given us all quite a scare. It's hard to be here knowing Mom's going through all this right now. But I talk to her often and I hope it helps in some small way. She understands why I'm here, but it saddens her at times just the same. She tells me she just takes it one day at a time.

I've always been told I look just like my Mama. Once when I was a teenager an older lady in the grocery store stopped us to ask if we were twins! I laughed at that one and told Mom either she was really being complimented on her age....or I was being really insulted about mine!

Mama, I love and miss you bunches!!!!

I'm not sure how old Mom is in the photo. I'm guessing late teens early twenties. Mom or Nana...if you see this and know...post the answer in the comments.

This is one of my favorite photos of Mom. I don't know how old she is here either. I know she's in high school because I've seen the picture in her yearbook!

You decide if we look alike. Of course, my photo isn't a high school photo so probably isn't the best to compare but it was the handiest photo to post!

Mom and Heather above. Heather and me below.

During the summer of 1999 after Dad died Mom went with me to Smyrna, Tennessee to take Heather to dance camp. Mom and I enjoyed the most relaxing vacation I've ever taken and I will treasure the time we spent together there always. We window shopped, traveled to Murfeesbooro to a huge antique mall, played lots of cards and SCRABBLE and just enjoyed the week to ourselves. Here she is playing cards with Heather one evening in our hotel room.

Mom and I when she married Jerry....New Year's Eve 2000 at midnight!

Mom and I at a celebration event for Heather last year.

Mom, I know you've always regretted the many times you couldn't be there at our events, but I'm thankful for the events you WERE there for and the wonderful love and support you have always shown us. You have a knack for making every one of us feel loved and important. Thanks for being our wonderful mom!! I hope one day Heather will think just as highly of me...