An Ode to Mom

I didn't know you when you were young

So many years ago.

Your life stretched out before you

Your cheeks bright and aglow.

So lovely on your wedding day

What wishes were in your heart?

Could you even imagine then

The times you'd spend apart?

As a young wife and mother

You walked hand-in-hand.

Down the streets of the city

Not knowing what God had planned.

A happy family picnic

You and your three little girls.

A Coca-Cola in your hand

Your hair swept up in curls.

The beauty of a mother's love

Is written in your eyes.

As you hold your firstborn son up high

Reaching to the skies.

By the time I came along

As baby number five.

I'm sure that there were days

It was all you could do to survive.

You didn't drive but you packed up kids

And traveled so far away.

To distant lands to make a home

Where kids were free to play.

Could you have imagined as a bride on your wedding day

You'd have two sons born in another land?

Your life would be lived so far from Wisconsin

Would you have said yes if you knew beforehand?

When we lived in Alabama

Your heart just wasn't there.

How much happier you were back in Kansas

An answer to your prayer.

As your children grew and needed you less

You reached out with arms open wide.

To embrace so many Girl Scouts

Taking life as it came in stride.

Your older kids moved out

Some moved far from home.

From time to time we all returned

From places where we'd roamed.

Grandkids soon outnumbered

Your family of eight little ones.

You gladly welcome each new baby

Granddaughters and grandsons.

Although you lived so far away

Wisconsin remained near and dear.

Your heart embraced your heritage

Wherever you lived on earth's sphere.

Some of your grandkids lived so far away

And others lived nearby.

You didn't whine and complain

Or get angry and ask why.

When all of us traveled home

The joy was etched upon your face.

Although the room was noisy

You handled it with grace.

What a massive group of grandkids

Your legacy to carry on.

None of us knew then that in so few years

Your work on earth would be done.

The children of your two youngest kids

What a blessing to behold.

Loved just like their older cousins

Treasures as though made of gold.

Of all the places you lived

And all the cities where you roamed.

There was no place better than your own front porch

For you, it was home sweet home.

When the weather was too cold

And your strength began to fade.

Your davenport was your place to be

Jayhawks and Snoopys all arrayed.

It's still hard to believe you're gone from us

But in Heaven, all things are made new.

As you wander God's streets paved with gold

Know how much we love and miss you.

"You take it as it comes"

One of your favorite things to say.

I know we'll all be together again

One bright and shiny day.

Happy First Birthday in Heaven, Mom!

You were smiling on your birthday in this photo five short years ago. You joined us in the birthday song: "Happy Birthday to ME," you sang.

When I think of you today on your first birthday in Heaven, this is just how I see you -- filled with joy, laughing, singing and happily surrounded by your parents, brothers and many others you love.

I know you're safely home with God, just where you're supposed to be. But that doesn't stop the pain deep in my heart that comes from missing you. 

I think of you in the morning, when each day dawns anew. I think of you in the day, remembering lunch time walks taken while talking with you by phone. I think of you in the evening and when I close my eyes to sleep. You're never far from my thoughts.

You dropped a penny down to me the day you went away. As the days have passed by, the penny pile has grown -- and includes nickels, dimes and quarters too.

Some days when I look up to the sky, I see angel clouds or clouds shaped like hearts and I know you're watching over all of us.

Sometimes I see butterflies -- often in pairs -- dancing in the meadow or flitting from flower to flower. Maybe you've sent them down so I'll feel your love surrounding me.

I can't send flowers to Heaven, but I'm sure that there's no need. Heaven must be filled with flowers much more beautiful than these. 

Heaven's the perfect place -- more beautiful than we can imagine. How fitting it is that my beautiful Mom is forever at peace in such a wonderful place. None of us knows just what it's like up in your eternal home. Perhaps Heaven is filled with all of your favorite things.

Maybe there are brownies for breakfast -- or anytime your heart desires. 

Perhaps there's a Jayhawk or two to keep you warm.

Heaven may hold a puzzle stockpile to last you through eternity.

There may even be a Snoopy or two up there in Heaven with you.

Maybe there's KFC up there for you to enjoy.

Coke in Heaven? Who knows -- but whether or not there's Coke up there, I'm sure that you're wearing that same big smile. Because to be in God's presence is certainly worth smiling about.

The streets of Heaven may be paved with gold, but maybe there's springtime flowers too.

We miss you here every day, but you're finally reunited with so many of those you've loved and missed for years.

Here's flowers for you to enjoy, Mom
All of your favorite colors are here
As I look at flowers in my garden
I feel your presence here.

Happy Birthday in Heaven, Mom
I'm sure the celebration's grand
I'll try today to choose joy over sadness
As I remember the warmth of your hands

You're always in my heart
Even if I can't see your face
I know you're up there waiting
For us all to be together in that perfect place.

 

On your birthday and always
You're loved and missed forever
With all my love
XOXOXO Ciss

A Mom's Love Lasts Forever

This post is dedicated to my Mom and my Mother-in-Law. Mom gained her angel wings on June 5, 2014. My Mother-in-Law Lurlene gained her angel wings on January 31, 2015.

The love of these two moms will always be in our hearts. Thanks Mom and Lurlene for making me and Kenny who we are today! We love you forever!

When you're a little kid, you really don't understand a mother's love. Yes, you know your mom loves you, but you really don't understand the depth and breadth of that love.

As a child, you don't realize that your mom would do anything for you -- that she would even give up her very life to save yours.

Babies are self-centered by nature, so God created moms to be selflessly in love with their children. When a baby's cry pierces the night, mom is awake and ready.

Moms learn maternal love from their own moms, who learned from their moms. Whether or not that look of love is captured in a photograph, the love of mother for child is timeless and lasts forever.

Although tested by her child's actions and words, a mother's love endures through the terrible twos and the challenging teen years.

A mother stands behind her child in times of trouble and sadness. She stands beside her child in times of joy and celebration. Even if she lives far away, a mom is always just a phone call away.

When little girls grow up to become moms, they truly understand how deep their mother's love goes. As you look into the eyes of your own baby, you begin to truly realize your own mom's love for you.

As your own children grow, your mom is the first person you reach out to in times of happiness. Your mom's also the person you seek out when things go wrong and you need advice.

That mama love extends to grandchildren too. That's why your children can do no wrong in the eyes of their loving grandma.

Moms of all ages cherish special family celebrations. Weddings, birthdays, graduations, holidays and other happy occasions fill moms and grandmas with joy to sustain them through more difficult times.

As time goes by, your mom becomes so much more than just a mother. She's your friend and advisor, your strength and wisdom, your rock.

I've lived far away from my mom for my entire adult life. As a result, most of our family celebrations didn't include my mom, but many have included my mother-in-law.

My trips back home were usually in the summertime or right after Christmas. It was rare for all of us adult kids to come home at the same time since we're all scattered across the country.

Although Mom disliked having her photo taken when she was younger, she mellowed with age and was okay with posing for photos, especially with her grandkids.

In recent years, it's been wonderful to go back home to celebrate my Mom's birthday with her. As an adult, you understand -- even if you don't accept -- that nothing lasts forever.

I'm grateful that Mom was willing to pose for photos more as she got older. When she was younger, she hated being photographed and often hid her face.

It's very true that the older you get, the more you appreciate your Mom. It's also true for many of us that the older we get, the more we become like our moms.

That thing about becoming more like our moms as we age is true with moms and sons too. As adults, we take on qualities we admire from both of our parents.

Time stands still for no man -- or woman. So, as we move forward in our life together, we honor and cherish the memory of our parents by living as they would want us to live. As they shared God's love with us, we have shared God's love with our children and grandchildren.

As they loved their children, we continue to love our children and grandchildren. One of the secrets of life that you realize as you get older is that love is worth so much more than things. Life goes on and life is good.

Happy Mother's Day in Heaven to our moms. Together with our dads, they are singing with the angels as they are joined together forever. Mom always said, "Some day we'll all be together."

But that day is not today. So for now, I'll take what I can get when I can get it and do the best I can to face each day with a smile on my face, a prayer on my lips and a song in my heart.

Blogging Grandma Sandy, signing off for now.