Mama's Birthday

Today is my Mama's birthday.

She was born June 27, 1911 in Centerfield Utah, 100 years ago.

My Mama has been gone now for almost 5 years and I miss her so.  She was not only my Mama, but my best friend.  I could talk to her about anything.  She helped me with my children, and was with me for many wonderful experiences I had in my life.  We laughed and we cried together, we talked and we shared.  She was my Mama...

I remember her coming to my homes and helping me with my decorating.  She would help me paint my walls and help me wallpaper them too. 

I went to her homes and sewed curtains and drapes for her many windows.  I would sew and she would press and then we would hang them together on the windows.

We were a team..

When I was growing up and it was wash day, she would wash the clothes and hang them on the line to dry.  I would go out to the line and take them down and bring them in and together we would fold them.  When it was time to wash the windows for spring cleaning.  She would wash the inside of the windows and I would wash the outside of the windows.  After dinner and time to wash the dishes, she would wash the dishes and I would dry the dishes and put them away.  We were a team...

We took trips together.  The ones that had the most meaning were the ones we took to North Carolina to visit my daughter Marta.  Marta would show us a perfect time by taking us to historical places and special places of interest. We walked all over Washington DC at one visit and she loved every minute of it. 

One such visit was when my granddaughter Cara was getting married.  We spent days preparing for this beautiful wedding.  Making divinity candy, polishing silverware, arranging flowers, sharing, laughing and having such a good time, 4 generations together.  Mother never went to bed early, had to stay up late with the rest of us, fearing she might miss something.  She sure was a trouper.....

After the death of my father, mama seemed to lose the zest of living, she missed him so.  She had depended on Daddy for almost everything, he not only was the love of her life, but he was her rock.

I became her caregiver at this time.  My brother Butch and his wife Diane also helped with Mother's care.  We would take turns fixing her meals and spending the nights. 

I took her shopping, payed her bills, cleaned her home and did her laundry.

It was during this time I started to read to her in the evenings after dinner and the dishes were done.  We read many books together.  It was during this time that she would share special times with me.  It seemed that many of the stories we would read would trigger a memory.  I started to write these things down that she would say.  She started to say she would like to have a record of the books we were reading and so I started to compile them into a book. I would write about the book we were reading and what she would say. I would write her thoughts and her feelings, she enjoyed this very much and seemed to enjoy my writing and my comments.  This became our story time and I titled this "Story Time With Mama."  Every night after dinner she would say to me, "are we going to have our Story Time tonight?" and I would answer, "Yes, Mama, we are going to have our Story Time."

As I would tuck her in bed in the evening, she always would wrap her arms around my neck and give me a kiss, she would tell me that she loved me and thank me for taking such good care of her and them she would say, "Thanks for my stories."  I would reply, "Your welcome, mama, I love you, good night."

Tonight I'm thinking of my mama and I'm missing her.  Yes, she would be 100 years old, but no mater how old your mama is or how old you are, a girl always needs her mama and she always needs to feel that love that only comes from her mama...

Tonight before I go to bed I'm going to read a short story, so close your eyes and it will be our special time, for it will be "Story time with Mama."   night, night mama,  I love you....    and Happy Birthday