How do you describe a person like her. There was nothing that she couldn't do rather it was milk a cow, build a corner shelf in her kitchen, lay a tile floor, or take care of her husband, children, parents and an entire parade of friends and family.
There were endless days and nights of sewing, nursing, cleaning and doing whatever else needed to be done. The woman was unstoppable until November 10, 2012 when she went home to be with my Dad and the rest of her family.
This was the first Thanksgiving that we had without her. So who wanted to have Thanksgiving? Probably none of us, but then Mom wouldn't have wanted that. Nope, we all got together and laughed, talked and maybe even cried at the fact that she wasn't there. She wouldn't have wanted us to sit around and lose that family gathering, that closeness that we always had. I guess if you asked any of us how we were doing right now we would have to say her most famous words these past three years,"So Far So Good".
She grew up in the depression, the oldest daughter of seven living children. How hard of a life did she have? I really can't tell you. When she was together with her brothers and sisters they would always laugh about having to walk to school bare footed only to put the shoes on at the school. They talked about not having pretty things and toys like our kids have now, but they always talked about the love they had for their parents and each other and the fact that they always had plenty to eat.
She left school after the eighth grade and went to work in the nearby town to help send money home. She bought her baby sister her very first doll. She always thought about other people before herself.
She married, had four children, worked a full time job and always seem to find time to do what she had to with us kids whether she was sewing costumes for school and church programs, keeping the house up, cooking wonderful meals and even managed to somehow keep Daddy very happy.
I sometimes think that her religion helped to keep her going no matter how tired she got. Church was a major part of her life. How many kids these days would think about walking five miles to church for summer school? She did. Her work schedule always allowed for church and God. She seemed to depend on Him for every problem and at the end He was there with her to peacefully take her home to Him.
My mother was an amazing woman. We should all have her faith and determination. Her love for life and family. Her confidence to do what someone said she couldn't and her compassion to help those who felt they couldn't do it on their own.
Thanksgivings will never be the same for our family but we will continue on the tradition and faith that she installed in each and everyone of us and all of those who she ever met.
We love you Mom.
