Happy Mother’s Day!

Mother’s Day is quickly approaching.  I never appreciated this day completely….until I became a Mother.  Wow.  You have no idea how much your mom did for you until you actually are doing all those things for your own kids.  Why life works that way, I am not sure, but it just seems so.  I remember a lot about my mom growing up.  She stayed home with us until I was about 13 years old.  Then, she started working in real estate; it was far out of her comfort zone, but my Dad encouraged her in this endeavor, and you should see her now!  She is the manager of the rental department at one of the biggest and most respected Real Estate Agencies in Augusta.  She works hard for the money.  ha.  Seriously though, one thing in particular that I can clearly remember about my mom is her hands.  I can clearly remember how her hands (that were always painted and well-manicured) smelt when she would button my shirts.  I also remember that she was the crossing guard right outside of our house.  We would say good bye to her right there as we walked down the hill to school.  Then, she was always there as we walked up the hill on our way home.  We could always count on the Debbie Snacks to be waiting on us in the kitchen, too.

 She taught us about being ladies….some of her rules were for us girls to NEVER talk to a guy while he was sitting in his car and we were standing outside of the car…NEVER, under any circumstances, were we to sit in a boy’s lap….and NEVER call boys.  There were more, but these are the ones that most definitely stand out!  She spent time with us a lot, but she also was quick to make sure she and my dad had their own time.  They still put each other before any of us, and I am glad to see that.  Now they have each other in that house.  We all left them!  

I am more thankful now for my mom than when I was in the house and she was doing so much for me and my sisters.  I appreciate the time she invested in us.  I appreciate all the places she drove us.  I appreciate how she made sure we went to church camp each summer.  She was involved.  My room mate in college loves her because of her practical and honest advice.  I didn’t really notice it so much until Paige raved about it.  I am glad I will be able to spend Mother’s Day with her this year.  

It feels weird to put a picture of her with just me.  She is usually in a picture with me, Marcy and Cacy!  I can’t find one of those right now.  (Sorry, sisters.)  Here is one of Mama as “Sweetie” with all SEVEN of her grandkids.

And then there is my mom’s mom, MeMe.  She was with us a lot growing up.  She taught the toddlers in nursery for soosooo many years.  I can’t even begin to guess how many.  My sisters and I used to spend the night with her, and she would let us rearrange her furniture.  I remember that she wrote little Christian “ditties.”  She would sing them and record them onto a tape, then we would listen to them at her house.  She made the best Vegetable Soup.  She let us POUR sugar onto our Rice Krispies cereal.  She taught us what “french baths” were (I guess she didn’t want us to take a real bath at her house.)  She wouldn’t let us walk around her house bare footed.  We always had to wear socks or we’d “catch a cold!”  She would fuss at us for being loud in the car while my mom was driving….except it really wasn’t fussing.  I don’t ever remember her fussing at me.  Every Halloween we got a Kit-Kat and some money from her in a ziploc bag.  I am sure there are so many more things I could write about her, but I couldn’t possible cover them all.  I will say that she is a godly grandmother.  She freely talked and sang about Jesus.  She loves to read her Bible even now.  

Love you, Meme!!

On the day I married Josh, I got another Mom.  Deb is such a great Mother-in-law.  Understanding.  Compassionate.  Caring. Giving.  Loves my kids so much!  Not bossy.  Not nosey.  Not critical.  I appreciate these things and so much more about her.  I suppose I am one of the greatest recipients of her mothering since I got to marry her son!  Josh is an incredible person and husband and daddy.  What can be a better testimony to a great mom than that?! Josh has wonderful memories of growing up under her care.  She has a knack for focusing on what really matters and not letting the other stuff bother her.  She is battling cancer and winning.  Her spirit is soaring.  She is a great light for Jesus as she allows Him to meet her needs and carry her through this very difficult time; I can see how she is allowing it to bring glory to HIM.  She is wonderful.  Josh loves her so much.  I love her.  And my kids—they adore her.  I hope she has a fantastic Mother’s Day!

Gran/Deb’s mom is Charlene/Grandma/GG.  She is such fun.  She is one of those ladies that speaks her mind.  She also is a “Mama Bear” who would totally fight for any of her kids and win, even today!  She loves her family.  She cannot say enough good about them.  She feels the same about her grandkids, too.  Though I never attended any of Josh’s games pre-college, it seems that she was one of his biggest fans!  I love to see her with my kids.  She is close with all of them, but it does seem that she and Mack have this special thing.  She cracks him up.  And vice versa.  She is a very active great grandmother, too.  She volunteers at the hospital.  She swims at the Y often.  And she serves her husband and does anything that Deb or Irv might ask of her.  And I must add, GG can make a mean pecan pie.  

I hope all of these Mothers have a blessed Mother’s Day!  I know that I am greatly blessed to have each of them in my life.