Mom Showed Me the Way

They say that only a Mom really knows
How quickly life moves, how fast time goes.
From babies to toddlers to school girls and boys
Rattles and stuffed animals to being too big for toys.

Those older and wiser try to tell the young Mom
To live life while they're young, they'll soon be at prom.
Soon driving and laughing, or texting all day
Growing and changing and moving away.

A Mom's heart breaks with each ache her child feels
Though she tries to soften the blows making deals.
With God or with man or whoever she can
To help her son grow up to be a man.

To moms everywhere on any given day
Your job is to see your children on their way.
To manhood and to womanhood too
Until you soon have no more job to do.

Moms take the blame for whatever goes wrong
And pass out the praise when the boy's big and strong.
'That's my boy' or 'That girl is mine'
Pride in your voice, eyes that do shine.

As I look toward my children, now all grown
I know that I'd give up all that I own.
To go back in time, if just for a day
To a time when a tiny baby in my arms did lay.

The future still so far far away
For now just only time to play.
And knowing then what now you know
How quickly that little baby would grow.

A good Mom works herself out of a job
The kids grow up and time does rob
The days away and memories too
Leaving Mom sometimes sad and blue.

But don't despair, Moms here and there
Before you know, life will soon be fair.
When that baby of yours has a baby too
For you to hold and rock and sing to.

That's what the older ones all know
Life's endless circle as little ones grow.
You've done your job, you did your best
And now you've earned your little rest.

Thanks to all the Moms, especially mine
You raised all eight, should have been nine.
You saw us all through thick and thin
You did it all while wearing a grin.

Because you knew our time would come
We'd have to let go of our own little ones.
Wave good-bye and choke back our tears
Let them go their own way despite all the fears.

Thanks dear Mom for showing me the way
And for teaching me how to sing and to play.
Showing me what a good Mom should do
When I grew up, I became just like you.

-- Original version was published on Yahoo Voices as a Mother's Day tribute to my Mom for Mother's Day 2012. This tribute has been revised for publication on my blog.

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.

Celebrating Mom: Cherished Memories

Today marks my Mom's one year angelversary. 

On June 5, 2014, Mom slipped out from the chains of this world

 and marched joyfully into her eternal home.

It still seems impossible sometimes that my Mom isn't with us. 

She planned to live to 120, but that wasn't God's plan for Mom.

I know I'll shed some tears today

I've already shed a few

The tears are about me, Mom

and not at all about you.

You're done with your journey -- you finished the race

I know there's a smile upon your face

While all of us who you left behind

Feel so alone and out of place.

Just for today, I promise I'll try

To cherish the memories as I wipe tears from my eye

I'll celebrate who you were and all that you loved

And try to stay busy so I won't sit and cry.

You loved all of your children

And our kids and grandkids too

Your God and the Girl Scouts

And the kids up at school

You loved Snoopy, Coke and ice cream

KFC and little boxes of juice

Playing with babies

And walking downtown

Working your puzzles

And word searches too

Your Mom and your Daddy

Brothers, sisters and grandparents too

Of course you loved Daddy

And he loved you too

We came from that love

And I'll always thank you

Once a young Mommy

You loved each of us so

Each of us special to you

From oldest

To youngest

And the middle kids too

We were a handful together

Some worse than others

But you were so proud

That we all called you mother

That twinkle in your eye

So wonderful to see

Was reserved for the grandkids

Who filled your world with glee

Some of them lived nearby

And others far away

But all were Grandma's favorites

Whenever they came to play

You taught us well, dear Mom

To make the best of things

To put our faith always in God

And know that He's in charge

To cherish those you love

And that chocolate's always best

To light a special candle

When anyone needs help

To take time to smell

The flowers of life

To take it as it comes

And know that this too shall pass

Our God is a God of mercy

Of hope and of endless love

Our Mom who we all love so much

Is waiting with Him above 

On your first angel anniversary

Always in my heart

Never forgotten

Always loved

XOXO Love, Ciss