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.

Threnody

 We had to say goodbye to this one today.  She's now reunited with her boyfriend and true mama. 💙

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.

Respectfully

It would have been dad's birthday today, this first day of autumn.  I went to the cemetery this evening to pay my respects.  

Reverie

Today it's been 25 years since you left us, dad.  I wish I could fill you in on everything that's happened over the last 25 years. 

I miss you.  

Indelibly

Twenty years ago this morning, I was already hard at work at the Proex Central Lab in Edina.  Those were the days when I would get up at the butt crack of dawn to make it to work for a 7am start time.  That's probably not early for a lot of people, but for a night owl like me, it was brutal.

Back then, we were still processing tons and tons of film and pictures for the masses.  By a quarter to 8, the workday was in full swing.  Many machines were humming away, spitting out 35mm, APS, and 110 film, along with stack after stack of pictures.

I remember someone coming over from another area and said that they heard on the radio that a plane hit one of the World Trade Center towers in NY.  I remember thinking, how could an accident like this happen?  How horrible!  A short time later, someone said a SECOND airplane hit the other tower.  What?  What was going on??  Now I was completely confused.  How could two airplanes accidentally hit a skyscraper in NYC?  I walked over to where the radio was tuned into KQRS and I remember hearing Tom Bernard talking about terrorists.  My heart sank into my shoes. 

If that wasn't horrible enough, two more planes crashed - one into the Pentagon and one into a field in PA.  And also hearing about both towers of the World Trade Center collapsing.  At this point, all I could think about was what was going to happen next?  But there were no more crashes that day.  Everyone was reeling from the news.  All planes were grounded for a couple of days.  It was really eerie while the planes were grounded.  My husband and I were living in an apartment at the time and daily airplane traffic noise was the norm.  Now the skies were silent.  I felt an overwhelming sense of foreboding like something else bad would surely happen. 

What I wanted most was a flag to fly.  An American flag should be easy to find, right?  Wrong!  Flags just weren't all that popular or readily available in 2001.  It boggles the mind.  I went to store after store and came up empty.  It was very frustrating!  Finally, in desperation, I went to the Mall of America to search for a flag.  The ONLY flag I could find was the one featured in today's blog - a Mall of America t-shirt.  I didn't care about MOA, but I wanted that flag.  I started wearing that t-shirt everywhere.  Perfect strangers would smile and give me a thumbs-up for the flag.  

The unitedness of everyone in the weeks that followed was awesome.  It didn't matter who you were or what you believed, we were all united as one nation and terrorists be damned.

I took today's image this evening as I still have the t-shirt.  I don't wear it anymore and as you can tell, it has seen a lot of use.  I keep it tucked away in my dresser.   To never forget. 

Steadfastly

Yesterday, my "second mom's" loving husband of 72 years decided he would celebrate his Lord and Savior's birthday in person in heaven this year.  

He passed peacefully in his own home after years of battling Parkinson's disease.  

My thoughts and prayers are with his family and everyone who was touched by his life.

My 31 Days of Christmas Celebration continues.  Yes, even now, because I know even though this man of God is absent from here, he is celebrating with his King in heaven, exactly where he wanted to be.

Perpetuity

 Never forget.  Ever.  9/11.

Effervescently

 This man lit up the room wherever he went.  He will be sorely missed by all who knew him.

Sultry

 For my 2500th blog, I'm honoring one of my dad's passions - his cars.  This is a 1967 Cutlass Holiday Coupe 442 Hurst Oldsmobile.  

Divertingly

Troops watching a USO show during the Korean War.  It's most likely that not everyone watching this show made it back home alive.  Remembering those that gave all this Memorial Day. 

Scanned photo from my dad's pictures.

Greasy

My husband is a hard-working man. 

He had to put a new starter in his truck tonight after work.  Outside in the driveway.  Outdoor temp was 5°F and windchill was -3°F at the time.  He did wear his winter gear and he hooked up a portable heater, which kept his body warm.  But those hands!  No room for gloves while wrenching on one's truck.

When he was done, he came in to warm up and clean up, but I said I wanted to get a shot of those hands before the Goop went on. 

Comedy

~Celebrating 31 days of Christmas

Nine years ago today we had the biggest blizzard in the Twin Cities since the Halloween Blizzard of '91.  When it was all said and done, over 16 inches had fallen, with drifts up to 24 inches.

At the peak of the blizzard was my mom's funeral.

Our little church family was a real tight-knit group that day.  The pianist got stuck in the alley at home.  We sent my now-husband to go get her in his 4WD truck.

The men were on shovel patrol, which was a full-time job.  The snow just didn't stop!

My relatives came down from Fargo/Moorhead and Little Falls to be there.  By the grace of God, they made it there and back in one piece.  Although my oldest niece and her husband got stuck a couple blocks away and had to trudge through the drifts to get to the church.

And my mom, well, she was late to her own funeral.  The hearse kept getting stuck.  They finally got to the church, but when they tried to pull around the corner, the hearse got stuck in the middle of the intersection.  A jerk in a Hummer came barreling up the street and started honking like crazy.  The hearse driver (usually the stoic type, right?) gets out and starts yelling at the jerk.

And me?  I laughed.  And laughed and laughed and laughed.  After everything that happened in the last month of my mom's life, I so needed that.   I'm sure she was laughing in heaven as she would definitely find the humor in it too.  It was a comedy of errors on the grandest scale.

The day was wild and crazy and wacky – just like my mom.  Merry Christmas, mom.  I love you.

Interconnectivity

A replica of the USS Missouri made out of Legos.

Unforgettably

9/11.  Never forget.

Adventurously

Happy Mother's Day!  To my mom, who was always game for adventure, even when she wasn't sure about it.

Caringly

Today's post is a tribute to mothers and caregiving. 

This image was during the 4 1/2 years that I took care of my mom in my own home.  Before that, I took care of her in her apartment.  And before that, I took care of her in her own home.

The majority of the time it wasn't easy.  There was a roller coaster of highs and lows.  Sometimes more lows than highs.

But through it all, she was my mom and I loved her and she was worth it.

And I still love her and miss her.  But she is "home" and safe and no longer needs caregiving anymore. 

Snugly

Celebrating my 2000th blog with my favorite picture of my bunnies.

Kindly

Gone 4 years already.  Miss you, dude.  You were the best!

Delightedly

Thinking about my mom, as today would have been her birthday.  I love that smile on her face.  This was taken during the years I was her full-time caregiver.  Caregiving can be hard.  Caregiving can be stressful.  Caregiving can be depressing.  But it can also be rewarding.  I took satisfaction in knowing that she was well-cared for, even when she drove me crazy.  I love and miss her.