Mother’s Day…a reflection💐

Now that my girls are grown and gone Mother’s Day is more about celebrating them than it is me. I’ve had some great Mother’s Days, and some that didn’t turn out quite as I had hoped, but isn’t that how every day is? There are few days in life that turn out exactly as you expect them to, but that’s all part of the journey.

For me the journey was to be a wife and mother and live in a vine covered cottage with a white picket fence. That was probably the dream of all little girls born in the 1950’s, but for me it was even more of an objective. You see my mom died on October 14, 1956 when I was 5 years old, and growing up I was sure I could recapture the feeling of love that only a mother can give, if I just had kids of my own.

I’ve been blessed with three beautiful, amazing daughters, but I’m sure they’ll tell you I wasn’t always in the running for Mom of the Year. Yet I must have done something right for all three of them to have turned out so well. Which is why Mother’s Day for me is about honoring them, and the many accomplishments of their lives.

I’ve had a wonderful stepmom since I was seventeen, and it’s because of her that I’m the strong, confident woman that I am today. But I can’t help but wonder what my life would be like if my own mother had lived. It would probably be different, but there’s no way it could be better. Now I write about life, love and family. All the things I ever wanted and exactly what I’ve received.

Below are some pictures that were sent to me by my aunt, my mother’s last living relative. It’s a little hard to see my mom in pictures with me because she looks so healthy and vibrant. Unfortunately, it wasn’t much before a very fast moving sickness took her away.

(In the picture of my mom’s bridge club, she’s in the back left corner in a white blouse. In the family picture she’s standing behind my brother, Tom. )

There is also a picture of me as a baby, sitting on my grandmother’s lap, and my senior picture from high school, and one of me at about twenty. What do you think, have I changed much?