Rachel Anderson and her mother
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This is a picture of my mother holding me less than 24 hours after I was born. My parents were told that if I lived, I wouldn't be normal in any way. My mother had been on treatment for rheumatoid arthritis for several years and only figured out she was expecting when she was about 4 months into her pregnancy. Her doctor took her off steroids and narcotic pain relief abruptly, she went through horrible withdrawal. The doctor also put her on an 800 calorie a day diet to lose weight. The doctor gave my parents a list of facilities that took "abnormal newborns" and advised them that "If it lives, put it in one of these institutions and forget you ever had it." My parents refused to give in to the doctor's bleak outlook. They decided to keep me and care for me no matter what. When I was born, they put my mother in the large operating room theater where students could observe (it was a large teaching hospital). Everyone wanted to see the "abnormal birth". No doubt they were disappointed when I made my debut all pink and perfect with a very loud statement about the doctor's prognosis. You can see in the picture how happy my mother was and I even had a smile on my face (probably a newborn way of saying "Ha ha!! Deal with that, Doc!!" Mother's day had always been special between my mother and me. Now that she's gone, the memory of her strength, faith, and love help me deal with impossible situations. She showed courage and her memory gives me courage.
Thank you for such a wonderful tribute to all mothers who give themselves fully to their children!
Rachael Anderson
Brenda Nichols and her Mom
It was on June 2, 2001, that I told my mom good-bye for the last time. She was surrounded by her family as the angels came to take her home. My heart still aches as I remember it. I think about her every day.
Sometimes when I look at my hands, I think of hers. She had strong hands and they were always moving. I’ve watched her hands while she peeled potatoes, stitched a quilt, set tobacco, squeezed out cat-head biscuits, planted a garden, or played “Rooster, Pullet, Hen” with an unsuspecting child. If you’re not familiar with that little game, it went like this: She would touch a youngster’s forehead and say, “This is the rooster.” Then she’d touch his nose and say, “This is the pullet.” She would touch his chin and say, “This is the hen.” She’d touch his nose once more and ask, “What’d I say that was?” When he answered “Pullet” . . . she would.
She could tie the prettiest hand of tobacco. She tied backwards, but the hands were neat and tight. After Daddy packed them on the basket, it was almost a work of art. Daddy told me that he never once asked Mom to go help him on the farm. She would ask him every night about his plans for the next day. She would be up the following morning and ready to go by the time he got out of bed. She loved to work, whether it was in the field or in the kitchen.
Mom was the best cook I’ve ever known. It was old fashioned country cooking, much of which came from the garden, either fresh or canned. New potatoes, fried corn, green beans, peas, sliced tomatoes – I can taste them now. Sometimes she didn’t even have to go to the garden, for example when she cooked dandelion greens or fried poke stalk. She would bake a pan of cornbread every evening. When there was work to be done on the farm, she made a big breakfast, including biscuits and gravy, so they would get a substantial start to the day. I can’t imagine cooking breakfast, packing lunch (which was called “dinner”), working all day in the field, cooking supper in the evening, washing dishes, then doing the household chores – and never once complaining about it.
I don’t know how many quilts Mom made. It seemed every winter she would piece a new top. She and other ladies in the neighborhood would set up a quilting frame in an empty room or even a vacant house. They would then meet to put the quilt together. I was amazed at the way Mom’s hand rocked back and forth as she made the quilting stitches. The stitches were so tiny, they looked as though they had been done on a machine.
Mom loved to sleep so she could dream. That was the only time she could see. If all the things above weren’t amazing enough, she did them even though she was legally blind. During the last several years of her life, she could only distinguish light from dark. As she held my newborn daughter on her lap twenty years ago, she said, “I can see the light shining in your eyes.”
Mom started losing her eyesight just a few years after I was born. It never stopped her – it just made life more challenging for her. If she wanted to see your facial features, she would “look” at you with her hands. If you were a man with a beard, you could expect to have it pulled as she felt of your face. When the electricity goes off and I’m groping around in the dark trying to find a flashlight, I'm reminded of how her every waking moment was like that. I don’t think I could ever be as brave as she was.
I admire my mom for her perseverance, her strength, her love of hard work, and her love of family. I miss her so much and I still love her with all my heart.
Lucy Venable and her Mom
Enjoy your facebook page so much!
This is my mom and i heading out to the country club. I am the baby of 5 girls, no brothers. My mother passed two years ago at a happy age of 84. She was a lover of all animals, in fact, we had 2 pet monkeys on separate occasions.
Levonne Price and her Mom
I'll try to make this short, but my Mom as always and continues to be one of the strongest, unflappable people I've ever come across (and I'm 64 years old!)
Just an Ordinary Christian Girl that grew up in Chicago, where she met my Dad. They were married for a couple of years and she gave birth to me, their only child. My Dad died 11 months later in a work-related accident. And she was alone.......with me.
We moved back with her parents who welcomed us with open arms. My Grandmother was also, such a Queen of "Mothering" also. And Yes, I imagine that I was quite spoiled!!
I was raised in a very modest, fun, Christian home. Solid as a Rock. Mom went on to further her education and became a Licensed Practical Nurse , while my Grandparents took care of me.
As she went to work in our local hospital, Tampa General, she met a fine man that had "Accidently" broke his back. Well, as you can guess. They were married and Mom and I and Dad became a family.
Mom's not a pushy person, but she has certainly made a Mark in this world by her actions. Her gift, her Heart is to be God's Servant and she has certainly mastered it.
Thanks so much, RetroWifey for this opportunity to share this "testimony" about my Precious Mom.
Happy Mother's Day to You, Also
Levonne Price
Barbara Yerby and her Mom
Our mother, Margret Hofmann, was born in Germany and lived under the oppression of Hitler. She lost family members in concentration camps including her own mother and was able to emigrate to this country in 1946. Since being here, she has accomplished a great deal including raising not only her own 5 children but helped out neighbor kids as well. Among her many achievements were civil rights marches, meetings, and letters, publishing books and 100s of articles, speaking to many groups, organizing people's lives and homes, wearing many hats depending on which was needed, helping refugees, saving trees in Austin, Texas, helping pass the no smoking ordinance and the leash law, taking care of our father's business and his apprentices, serving on the city council, exposing her children to adventures, getting sidewalks built around elementary schools, substituting in schools, acting as the Quaker Meeting archivist and clerk for many years, being an informal counselor to many, and taking personal adventures such as a 7 month trip to Alaska when she was in her 60s, hitchhiking alone in the northeast in 1948, and driving 5 children from Texas to Canada and back herself.
The "Tree Lady" as she was known, was involved in many things including being the UNICEF representative in Austin for many years. Heifer International was another of her favorite charities as well as Habitat for Humanity. Right before she died she was worried about leaving behind unfinished business until a friend reminded her of what she had already accomplished which was recorded, archived, and a small park was named after her. At that point she seemed to relax and let it all go. She leaves behind quite a legacy. Her spirit is infectious and she instilled in us a sense of adventure and caring for all life. I would be happy to be half the woman she was.
Barbara Yerby
Christina McKerracher and her Mom
Love you on fb .... attached is a photo of my mother Alta Gracia Archuleta Flores .... 86 years old born on 08/24/1929. She was married to my Daddy for 62 years till his death in 2009 @ 90 years old. She continues to love him from afar. In 2012 she under went heart bypass surgery @ 83 years old. ... My mother had 10 children 5 girls 5 boys has 20+ grand children @ least 20 great grand children and 1 great great grand child. She began her motherhood in with my oldest sister Frances in 1949. I am # 9 of 10 Frances 12 years my elder and the youngest brother 7 years my minor. My mother comes from a long line of strong NM women matriarchs.... She lost her mother young in life and was raised by her grandmother on a cattle ranch on the Rowe Mesa, NM. Her Grandmother and Grandfather were from Spain and were revered int he community of Rowe known as "El Don" and "La Donna" ..... members of the community respected them and turned to them for assistance in life matters....as they raised cattle and dry farmed beans etc. they had means to assist the community as well as travelers passing through NM from Oklahoma and back east during the Great Depression. My mother is not only mother to her own but has taken on the mother figure for a rather large "extended" family on both her side and my fathers side as the parents of many of my cousins have also passed and she is loved by soooooo many! You are welcome to visit my fb site and visit my album Mother Goose ..... We call her the Goose ..... it is my tribute to my beautiful mother Her name Alta Gracia translates to High Grace .... my Mother Goose
Allyson Urie 4 Generations
Hello!
I've shared this before with you but I will share it again! This is a 4 generation picture with me at around age 2, my mother Frances, Grandmother (Memere) Pauline and Great-Grandmother (Great-Memere) Irene. Great Memere lived to be 100 years old, and my grandmother passed unexpectedly last fall. I feel extremely lucky to have had these wonderful ladies in my life! Thanks for sharing!
John McDowell
Mom left Germany in 1951, along with Dad and my three sisters, in search of
a better life in America, after the war. They left behind many relatives,
but joined a few other ones in the states. Mom worked hard, alongside Dad,
as they started life anew. She began as a farmer's wife and retired as a
meticulous seamstress/co-owner of their dry-cleaning business. She worked
tirelessly for her family, never complaining. She always remained
optimistic in life, despite losing two brothers in the war and her mother at
an early age, thus the commitment of raising her siblings and nephew. I'm
so proud of her strength and grateful for her love and the wonderful role
model she's been in our lives. We are so fortunate to continue loving her
at 95 years of age!
Thank you to everyone who shared stories about their Mothers. I love hearing them. I hope we can do this every year.
I love the post and all the mom stories! Such a great idea RW !
ReplyDeleteThanks Kelli!!!
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