Mother's Day Pink

For the most part, I've been avoiding the internet today.  Mother's Day is not my favorite day.  In fact, if I'm being honest with myself, I hate Mother's Day.  It holds no joy for me anymore.

Yesterday I was thinking about when I was a kid, there would always be symbolic red and white flowers for mothers and daughters to take home after the church service was over.  I found a good article explaining it for those who've never heard about it.

My mom would always take a white flower.  As a kid, I never realized how hard that must have been for her.  We'd bring our flowers home – hers white and mine red.  These days, mine would be white and I don't have anyone to give a red one to.  Holidays can be cruel when you don't qualify.

Many moons ago, I was going through a dark time in my life.  It was just one bad thing after another.  Practically every day there would be some new dark twist.  I would cry out to God to please "throw me a bone."  Just a little, tiny something to get me through.  Every time, He would.  Sometimes I didn't even get a chance to ask.  He would throw me a bone before I even asked or knew I needed one.

This year, my husband bought me a bonsai tree for Valentine's Day.  It's been a lovely challenge to keep it alive and thriving, as it's not as forgiving as some plants.  I've had to water it every day, even back when it was still winter.  It's a summer blooming plant and I was very excited to see buds appear a week ago or so.  

Today, Mother's Day, the first flower has opened.  Mother's Day, the day I hate, a beautiful pink flower opens.  A pink flower: Red + White = Pink.

Thank you, God, for throwing me a beautiful, pink bone.

Centenario

A few years ago, the church my husband and I grew up in, and eventually got married in, became a Spanish church.  But it is still affiliated with the Free Methodist Church of North America, so today they had a 100th Anniversary celebration.  The "little church on the corner" has been around for a century now.

Some of the "old church family" came back for the celebration and a tour of the interior.  I love what they've done with the sanctuary.  The pics really don't do it justice.  It's so light, bright and cheery!  I love the sheers on the windows.  They make the stained glass glow.  The seats are comfy and the A/V setup is nice.  One of the best improvements they've made is putting in a new furnace with central air.  

I'm glad they can bring the Good News of Jesus to our South Minneapolis Spanish speakers.

Hollyhocks

 Hollyhocks always bring back fond memories of the ones my mom had.  

Avidly

Mom and her favorite pastime.  As seen in 2008.

Loyalty

 I don't care what we do, daddy, as long as I'm with you.  

Celerity

I am beating the top of the Quik can so fast that the spoon can hardly be seen.  I'm not sure if I was just enjoying making a bunch of noise or if I was trying to beat that can into submission so that I could get to the chocolatey powder.  Maybe both.

Techie Corner

I have blogged this image before, but previously it was a scan of a photo.  I found the negative and scanned that.  I like the quality of this image much better than the photo scan.  

Unreservedly

A few years ago, we were celebrating our anniversary with my "second mom" and her husband, who is pictured here.  I wish I'd gotten a picture of him looking at the camera and smiling, but a picture of him clearing his nasal passages will have to do.  

Blithesomely

 One of my favorite pics of me.  As seen Thanksgiving week, 1991. 

Freehandedly

Fond memories from an anniversary trip we took a few years ago.  

Spoony

When I was in high school, we didn't have cell phones.  So we had to come up with other ways to amuse ourselves.

Touchingly

When this was just a tiny photo in an album, I didn't think much of it.  But when I scanned the negative and blew it up, I found that I really liked it.  The lighting on my face is soft.  Cute pose.  Wearing my mom's coat from when she was that age.  Perfect!  Good job, mom!

Inspiringly

Remembering this lovely lady on St. Patrick's Day.  Today would have been her 111th birthday if I did my math right.

Most people look at her and see a grandma.  But I don't.  When I was a kid, I would hang out with her after church.  There was one time, I can't remember what my mom asked, but this sweet lady answered, "Just us kids."  After that, I always called her "Kid." 

Even though she's been gone many years now, thinking of The Kid always brings a smile to my face.

As seen at her birthday party on St. Patty's Day, 2005.

I went looking for her obituary because I couldn't remember how long she has been gone.  I don't even remember writing the following on her tribute page, but it pretty much sums up our relationship.

Compatibility

Sometimes it's fun to pull up old outtakes/test shots and work with them.  Especially if my sweet baby girl is (mostly) in the pic.  We were like two peas in a pod.  As seen in 2007.

Wriggly

Grandma and I.  Look at that belly hanging out as I try to wriggle off of her lap.  Yes, she really did have blue hair.

Calmly

Oh, Romeo.  He was so cute.  

Creativity

 Fun times!  That's a snazzy-looking snowman.

Monkey

My mom always had two pictures of me that she could flip back and forth.  For this one, she would say, "See the monkey?" And then she would flip to the next one, me in the same outfit, standing, facing away from the camera, with no pants.  Then she would say "The monkey ain't got no pants!"  I can still hear her saying that.  Brings back fond memories. 

I do still have the second picture, but people are so weird about cute naked baby photos these days that I'm not going to post it.

Revelry

Oh my.  I was certainly wired for sound in this picture.

Cleanly

Rub-a-dub-dub.  

Tweety

I'm like a little baby bird being fed.