Today, August 15, would have been my mother’s 89th birthday. She loved Jesus, strawberry cake, birds of all kinds, but especially cardinals. She faithfully fed Mockingbirds, the Texas state bird, every morning. They like mealy worms…and she kept a nice big tub of them in my refrigerator. My family came to learn this was normal.
Mother loved to read. She usually had three or four books going at the same time. And she always made time to read her Bible at least once a day, if not more. She never liked sweets, but in her older years developed a fondness for chocolate. She kept stashes of candy in her room. For the longest time, after she died, I would open drawers or little trinket boxes and chocolate would be hiding inside. She loved to garden. She was a great cook, hostess and home keeper. She loved the color purple and wore “volcanic” lipstick. She had her hair done once a week, and always had a pretty manicure. She was kind and thoughtful and loved to send cards. She had beautiful penmanship. After her stroke, her fine motor skills were affected making it harder for her to write. I think that was one of the things that bothered her the most, but she still enjoyed finding just the right card for each of her friends.
She shared so many important life lessons with me over the years. One lesson early on was to be tolerant of people’s behavior. If they weren’t nice to me, they probably had something going on in their lives making them sad. That mine might be the only smile they receive that day. To look people in the eye when you talk to them and that people love it when you call them by name, it makes them feel important. She taught me to say please and thank you and to be grateful for everyday. She aged with grace and died with a smile.
She was the perfect Mother for me.
“I remember my mother’s prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life.” Abraham Lincoln
Hospitality is in my DNA. I founded Home with a Twist, a daughter’s twist on her mother’s traditions, in memory of my mother to celebrate her life and the gifts she shared with me. Mother loved to celebrate life’s occasions – big and small.
Miss Miss -This is lovely tribute to our beautiful Mother on her birthday. She was very proud of you and I know she smiles at all the wonderful things you know how to do.
Love you,
Sister Lady