Saturday, May 9, 2015

When I Think of Mom


I wanted to write a Mother's Day post but wasn't sure what it would say.
 After reading a couple of posts here in Blogland,
I was quite touched and inspired by what they had to say about their mother.
Both of these ladies share the same one...
 ...and you can read them here and here if you like.
~
I realize this post might be somewhat random...please bear with me...
...feelin' just a bit little nostalgic today.


When I think of mom... 

...I think about the fact that I never called her mother...
...she was always mom to her brood of eight.


I'm pretty sure I was calling her Mommy when this was taken :)
~
When I think of Mom...
...so many images come to my mind.

I can't look at an apron without thinking of her...
...as some of you already know.

I can't pass by a lilac bush without a getting a vision of her cutting a fresh bouquet
as a centerpiece for the kitchen table in springtime.

When I see a batch of freshly laundered sheets flapping wildly on a clothesline,
sweet images and memories from days gone by bless my soul.

When I think of Mom...

...I think about what it would have been like to have had a grandma.
My dad's mom passed when he was a boy and Mom's mom, shortly after I was born.
My own sweet mom was actually old enough to be my grandma,
giving birth to me, her baby, when she was forty-two.



I was only three years older than that when I became a grandma for the first time!
Some of your Grandma memories have actually reminded me of some of my Mom memories...
...if that makes any sense to you.

When I think of Mom...

I remember how I always thought it was so cool that she was a twin.
She was born Mary Elma Davis along side of Edna Mae...
As you can see, they look nothing alike...never did.



Below, Mom is on the right, Edna on the left, with older sis Clara in the middle.
I'm guessing it was about 1920 or thereabouts...
...the twins were born in 1912 .



Here they are at their 90th birthday party.



When I think of Mom...

...I think about sometimes wishing time travel was possible...
...wondering what was she like as a young woman.


I love looking at these old photos...
 ...imagining what it would have been like living during the Great Depression.
Here she is with Dad shortly after they were married...
...before she was ever a mom.

When I think of Mom...


I remember considering her to be an old fashioned woman.
I use that term with the utmost love and respect for her.
Because of her strict upbringing in the Old German Baptist Church,
also referred to as Dunkards, there was nothing very "worldly" about her.
She never finished high school, as was the case with many of that era,
she never went to prom,
she never had a boyfriend other than my dad (at least not that I know of),
she never got her driver's license,
 although I did hear a few tales about her driving her dad's old jalopy around on the farm,
she never had a job outside of the home yet she worked harder than I've ever had to,
she never went to see a movie,
she never went out to lunch with her girlfriends...
...that is, until her girls got old enough to be her girlfriends!
 There were many other things that she would never do...
...nor did she have the desire to be anything more than who and what she was...
...a loving wife and helpmate to my dad, Joe...
 ...mother, nurse, cook, keeper of the home,
and the spiritual glue that held our family of ten together.

And I don't think for one minute that she felt deprived of anything.
She had babies for twenty years...can you just imagine?
Do you think you might recognize this adorable, precious, and most beautiful baby?



That would be me with oldest sibling, Bob, six days shy of twenty years apart!

When I think of Mom...

I think of her unfathomable grace.
I am reminded about how she loved me without conditions...
...even when I wasn't very lovable at all...yes, even then.
I am reminded that the word forgiveness didn't necessarily even have to be spoken...
...as it was just something that she lived out in her kind and gentle ways.
~
Last Thursday, April 30th, marked five years since she has been with Jesus.
This photo was taken during our last visit.



Sometimes it seems like forever ago that I looked upon that sweet face.
Other times I can almost hear her voice and swear she's sitting right next to me.

When I think of Mom...

...I am so very thankful for the lessons learned from her about being a mom, myself.


Oh my goodness, I have been the farthest thing from a perfect mom...
...and I know that perfection can't be achieved here on earth, no matter what we strive for.
And sometimes, I wonder how I can even be her daughter.
I didn't inherit her patience, her meek and mild temperament or her soft-spoken voice.



Just ask these two.


They usually don't look quite so dapper as they do here.
It was Adam's (right) wedding day and one of the few times you'd find Aaron in a suit.


This is more true to form :)
~
And lastly...when I think of Mom...

I am aware of how very blessed I am to have been given such a gift from God.
Although she hasn't walked this earth for five years,
the power of her presence in my life is still so very strong.
When I see, touch and taste these things that remind me of her,
it soothes this "little girl's" soul like nothing or no one but God, Himself.
~
I want to wish you all
A Very Happy Mother's Day!


Sharing at:

Spiritual Sundays







29 comments:

  1. i typed a comment a bit ago, but you had pulled your post to edit it so i lost it. :)

    a lot of what you said rang true for me, too. i'm the youngest of 8 (a 17 yr spread between us). my mom was german catholic and old-fashioned. went thru 8th grade (so did my dad). they were old enough to be my grandparents. i never knew my grandparents as the last passed away when i was 1. my mom did get her driver's license, though, just a couple of years before i got mine. she did start working outside the home to support us when i was 4 and continued to work until her last year of life. lilacs made her wheeze but we kids didn't know better and would bring in bouquets for her. :) and i helped her hang laundry on the line every saturday.

    i liked the photos of your boys. made me smile. happy mother's day, debby!

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  2. Happy Mother's Day! I enjoyed this heartwarming post and photos. I know you miss your Mom very much. You certainly have fine looking sons. May your day be extra special.

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  3. WOW! This is a post filled with emotion and precious tribute.

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  4. This is a WONDERFUL post. Happy Mother's Day to you.

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  5. Debby, I'm not sure I've ever read a better tribute to a mother than yours is to your mom. Mother's like her were and still are the salt of the earth. And those photos were so fun to see. I really enjoyed them. Thank you for sharing them with your readers. Have a wonderful Mother's Day!

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  6. Dearest Debby, what a beautiful, heartwarming post. I, too, have been feeling nostalgic today....maybe because I wrote my post for Mother's Day which will come up tomorrow. You really opened up your heart, my friend, and it was such a blessing to see inside and experience the love you have for your precious mother. Thank you for sharing your mom with us - what a lovely lady!

    May you have a joyous and blessed Mother's Day! Love and hugs!

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  7. What a lovely tribute, Debby. So warm and moving.
    Amalia
    xo

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  8. what a beautiful, beautiful tribute, Debby.

    Happy Mother's Day!

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  9. A beautiful tribute. Hope you have a wonderful day yourself. Mothers day here in the UK was in March.

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  10. You have brought tears to my eyes with this beautiful and nostalgic post of your lovely mum, Debby. What a sweet, sweet lady she seemed. I love all the photos particularly the one of you and your mum towards the end of her life here on earth. I am certain she is looking down on you filled with pride and love for her beautiful and amazing daughter!

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  11. Beautiful, sweet, heartwarming tribute to your mom!

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  12. Debby, what a lovely tribute to your Mom. I love all the wonderful photos of you, your mom and your boys.. Happy Mother's Day to you, have a great day!

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  13. Debby, what a beautiful post about your mom! So many of the things you said brought tears to my eyes. What a wonderful and loving example she was to you and your siblings. Have a great Mother's Day.

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  14. I so enjoyed reading about your mom and your memories (She lived to 98?!) Some are very similar to those of my mom, though she was 28 when she had me. They did work so hard, didn't they?
    And happy mother's day to you.

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  15. Beautiful post. I enjoyed reading about your mom and her love for her family. How different life is now, isn't it? Yet the thread of mother love runs constant through time. Happy Mother's Day. You have a fine looking pair of sons.

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  16. That is fun how you featured Dayle and Gayle (do both links go to Gayle or is it my awkward fingers?) Especially fun since your mother was/and still is a twin. We have such unique stories. I very much enjoyed reading yours. Your mom sounds like a beautiful person. Your sons look like a lot of fun!

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  17. Hi Debby! I think you did your mom so proud. What a beautiful tribute to a simple, loving woman who helped make you the simple, loving woman you are today. What fun that she was a twin! Did you ever think that you might have twins too?
    Your sons are just adorable. What gorgeous smiles! I hope they are celebrating you with all the tenderness that you are showing your Mom. My mother died five years ago too (in December). My husband and I just came back from planting around the headstone. I miss her too...
    Blessings,
    Ceil

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  18. Love the post! You are truly blessed having so many loving siblings and a wonderful mother! Beautiful memories you will cherish ! You are blessed from God!

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  19. I'm so late in visiting and wishing you a Happy Mother's Day, Debby. I trust you had a beautiful day with your loved one's.

    I absolutely loved your tribute to your dear mama.
    Previous, just precious.
    What a lovely picture of the two of you in her later years. Sigh...

    Special occasions, such as Mother's Day cause us to reflect and remember back to those memories tucked away in our hearts.
    Today I did just that, and smiled on so many blessed memories.

    Thank you for your visits and prayers on behalf of my dad, I covet your prayers, dear friend.
    I will post an up date after the surgery Tuesday.

    Have a beautiful week.
    Joy! Debbie

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  20. Oops! Sorry about the spelling errors. Not previous, but precious.:-)

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  21. Loved reading your thoughts here this morning. I enjoyed the pictures through the years...from the old ones of your mom to the ones of your handsome sons. Your mom sounds like a precious woman. I pray that your Mother's Day was filled with sweet memories as well as some new memory-making moments!

    (Oh, and I actually can imagine having babies for over 20 years! I don't have as many children as your mother, but there is a 20+ age span between my oldest and youngest. I am sure that your mother felt about you as I do about my youngest: I can't imagine NOT having her; she is a tremendous blessing to me!)

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  22. Oh, Debby, this is such a lovely post. I saw it last night, and knew it was going to be good, but hubby talking, etc I just wanted to read it and enjoy it so waited till now. You were so lucky to have a mother like that.

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  23. I loved your post, Debby. Obviously, your mother was a very special woman, and I know you miss her still. The pictures were all wonderful. Handsome sons! I hope your Mother's Day was blessed.

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  24. This post was just beautiful! Such sweet memories to treasure :) Thank you for sharing with everyone- it was a blessing to read!

    Hope your week is lovely and blessed!!

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  25. Hi Debby, what a beautiful post and tribute to your lovely mother. Your pictures are all treasures!!
    You have special memories and such a blessing to have had her in your life.
    Thank you for sharing.
    Have a great week.
    Hugs, CM

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  26. Debby, dearest Debby - I have tears. This was such a beautiful tribute to your very special mother. And even though you say you didn't inherit her temperament, I can tell that a part of her heart beats on in yours. Such precious memories, and what a wonderful and godly legacy. I can't wait to meet her someday on the other side...

    I hope you had a great Mother's Day - I was lucky to be able to spend some time with my mom yesterday. And, what a pleasure to hear from my two *babies* too! (Don't you miss your boys under your roof?? I sure do!)

    Love - it's what makes the world go round.

    GOD BLESS!

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  27. Oh, Debby! What a beautiful post and beautiful tribute to your dear mother! She sounds like such a wonderful lady and you've shared so many sweet memories. You've even made me think of my own little mother who will have been in heaven for 2 years this October. She was a lot like your little mother. You were a beautiful little baby, little girl and a beautiful woman now. Your sons are so handsome and look like a couple of happy guys!
    I want to wish you a belated Happy Mother's Day!
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia ;)

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  28. Dearest, dearest Debbie...where do I begin?
    Oh, your tribute to your very precious mother was so sweet and special... What wonderful memories! She sounds like she was an amazing woman of God and one I would have loved to have met!

    Oh, thank you for sharing this beautiful post with us...it was such a blessing!

    I also wanted to say that I apologise for not responding to your lovely comments...for some reason they didn't pop up in my email and thus I couldn't reply... But I truly appreciate your thoughtfulness and love to have you stop by!

    Have a blessed and peaceful day, Debbie and thank you for your encouragement and inspiration!

    Much love and hugs to you,
    Kelly-Anne

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  29. Debbie, Tears fill my eyes as I read about your mother. I'm not even sure how I found you online. I was doing family research. I am certain we are cousins. My maiden name was Billhimer. My mother was Hazel my father was Emil. Emil's father was John and his mother was Mary Heckathorn. I remember seeing your mother and probably some of your siblings at the Billhimer family reunion in Troy Ohio in 1996 or seven. I have some pictures from that reunion that I would love to share with you, hoping you can identify some of our cousins. My mother and father had seven children, and 4 still live. They were in order, Keith, Jim, Joe, Deanna, Tom, Sharon(me), and finally my brother Ken. Keith, Jim, and Tom are in the Church Triumphant, their spirits undoubtedly leading me along this path to find a long, lost cousin in YOU. I am SO eager to begin a correspondence and sharing. Please write soon. Sharonnale@mac.com

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Thank you for stopping by today! Your sweet comments are such an encouragement to me.