Once A Mother, Always A Mother…

I still remember many of the talks I used to have with my mother-in-law.  She’d tell me stories about her children when they were growing up, and she’d tell me how much she still loved each one of them, even though they were all grown up.  She’d tell me how, one day, my children would step on my toes while they were little,  then, later, step on my heart after they were grown.  At the time, I couldn’t fathom what she was talking about, but over the years, I learned exactly what she meant.

When our youngest, a son, decided to move away, last year, I finally understood how mine and Ed’s parents must have felt when we married and moved away.  Ed and I were young and in love, and we quickly left our parents behind in a quest to make a new life for ourselves!  We didn’t have a telephone for many months, so our parents rarely heard from us between our visits home.  Somehow, it never occurred to either of us that our parents were missing us, and would have loved a phone call!  It’s no wonder, that five years later,  Ed’s daddy offered us our choice of land on the family farm, if only we’d move back home, which we did!

Just last month, when Ed came down with the shingles, and had cataract surgery, too, he wasn’t able to see his mom for several days.  I went to see her, and she was so worried about Ed!  There she was, ailing herself, but she was concerned for her son, and wanted to help.  I remember her saying, “If he needs any money or anything, just let me know.”  This warmed my heart, when she said this, knowing that Ed had been taking care of his mother’s financial affairs for the past three years.  Once a mother, always a mother.

Our oldest child, our only daughter, has been a mother for almost seven years.  Our oldest son, has been a father for nearly five.  Neither are the same people they were, prior to becoming parents.  I’ve watched both continue to grow and mature, as they care for and teach their children the things they’ll need to know to make them smart, productive adults.  I watch my children struggle and sacrifice to give their children what they need or want–just like Ed and I did, and our parents before us.  The circle of life continues.

Soon, our youngest, will become a father himself.  He has no idea of the ways his life is about to change, but he’ll learn, and I have no doubts that he’ll be a wonderful father, too.  He has a lot of his father’s ways.

Last night, our phone rang.  It was our youngest, Brad.  He was calling to say that his wife, Jennifer, has been admitted to the hospital, for observation.  She, apparently, is having some pre-term labor.  While she’d been at work, she’d started feeling bad, and ended up going to her doctor’s office.  The mother in me immediately wanted to get in the car and drive to the hospital to be with my children!  Instead, I called back with some unsolicited parental advice for our son–“Stay close to Jennifer tonight, she needs you.”  Giving unsolicited advice is what mothers sometimes do.

Hopefully, baby Evan will stay put a little while longer.  He still has seven more weeks until his due date.  Jennifer is receiving medication to help ease those labor pains, as well as steroid shots to help baby Evan’s lungs develop.  No matter what happens, it won’t be much longer until Brad and Jennifer’s lives take a new turn!  I’m looking forward to witnessing their journey as parents–a journey that will last until they take their last breath, just like Ed’s mom’s did.

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Springin’ Into Another Hodgepodge…

Hello Spring!  Only this morning it’s forty-something degrees outside, so it doesn’t as feel much like spring compared to yesterday’s high of 77 degrees!  What’s up with all that?

Hot or cold, rain or snow, it’s Wednesday–and that means it’s time for The Hodgepodge.  Our hostess, Joyce, has provided us with a great set of questions, so let’s “spring” right into my answers, shall we?

1. March 20th is the first day of spring…is she a lion or a lamb in your part of the world?

Only one word can accurately describe the weather in our neck of the woods–unpredictable!  One day it’s hot, the next day it’s cold.  Part of the day it might be raining, the other part might be sunny.  One day it’s windy, the next day it’s calm.  We never know what to expect from day-to-day, as our weather forecast is constantly changing!  I’ll characterize our first day of spring as an “unpredictable lamb”.  Tonight’s predicted low?  Mid-thirties!

2. What’s the most dreaded task on your spring clean to-do list? Do you have a ‘plan of attack’?

My most dreaded spring task is painting our porches and their rails.  Since all of our porches are uncovered, and we live under a bunch of trees, we have to paint Every.Single.Year!  I have no real plan of attack, other than to get started, as soon as it stops raining so much!

3. Peas…love ’em or hate ’em? What’s a favorite dish you make using peas?

Us southern folks love our peas!   Southern peas are an important part of our diet.  Crowder peas, blackeyed peas, and garden peas are just a few of our favorites.  We just put them in a pot and cook them in some water, along with some salt and seasoning meat, then we usually eat them over rice, except for the garden peas.  Simply southern!

4. Do you feel under appreciated?

Not much, thanks to a husband who often tells me how much he appreciates me and everything I do.  I used to feel under appreciated, a lot, while the children were growing up.  Children are needy!  In those days,  so much was required for them, there was very little time left for myself.  Time has taken care of all of that, as the children grew up, married, and now have families of their own.  I think my children appreciate me more now than they did back then–most of the time.

5. Have you been using Google Reader? If so, what are you switching to now that GR has announced retirement? If not, how do you read your favorite blogs?

I didn’t realize GR was retiring.  Why, oh why, must things continually change???   Sometimes I use Google Reader, sometimes I subscribe to blogs through email, other blogs I just visit on my own or through the links provided on memes.  For now, I guess I’ll bookmark my favorites.

6. Anne Bradstreet is credited with the following quote~

“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.”

Agree or Disagree? Why?

I agree.  Although I hate going through difficult times in life, I always come out stronger in the end, and I learn life lessons.  Tough times cause me to be a lot more appreciative of the many blessings I have been given, too.  Without the difficult times, I’d probably just sail through life being complacent.

7. When did you last ‘spring for something’? What was it?

A couple of weeks ago, I bought the complete dvd collection of the television series “Little House on the Prairie  and “The Waltons”.  I love both of these old shows, and have always wanted to own them on dvd.  I found both sets through Amazon.com, for a price that was too good to pass up, so I bought them.

Random:

Recently I discovered a humorous blog entitled “Parenting: Illustrated With Crappy Pictures” (I’ve linked to one of my favorite posts)  I never fail to laugh when reading Amber’s posts, which deal with parenting, and are illustrated through crazy drawings.    Check it out, I guarantee you’ll laugh, and who couldn’t use a good laugh these days?!

Wednesday Hodgepodge…August 31

Goodbye August, hello Hodgepodge. Here are this week’s questions. Thanks to Joyce for providing another great set of questions, even in the aftermath of hurricane Irene!

1. Do you think the world became a more dangerous place on September 11, 2001 or did we just become more aware of the danger? How has your own life changed as a result of that day?  I think the world became a more dangerous place on September 11, because the attacks were successful.  I think the success of those 911 attacks will encourage more plans for future attacks on our country and its citizens.  As far as how that day affected me, it’s made me less trusting, and more fearful.  I feel a loss of innocence.

2. Did you think your parents were too strict when you were growing up? How about in hindsight?  My parents weren’t strict at all.  They trusted me, and as a result they let me date at the ripe old age of 14!  Fortunately, I was a responsible teenager, with a strong conscience, which kept me out of trouble.  In hindsight, I realize just how young 14 really is…

3. Share one random but candid fact about yourself.  I’m a very transparent person.  My face usually reveals whatever I am thinking or how I am feeling.

4. Would your nearest and dearest describe you as simple or far too complicated? Well, I just asked him, and he says I’m simple.  After all these years together he knows me pretty well.  With me, what you see is what you get!

5. What is your favorite stadium or carnival food?  Without a doubt, it’s candy apples!  Love ’em!  Cotton candy is a close second.

6. Tornado, hurricane, earthquake…how many of these natural disasters have you experienced? Which event do you think would be the scariest?  I experienced a small tornado when I was pregnant with our second child in 1982. I was home alone at the time, and I was scared to death!  I went in the smallest room in our house, sat in a rocking chair and prayed as the tornado passed through our back yard.  The house shook, the roll-out windows of the house, which I’d cracked, lifted completely up by themselves, and the tornado sounded like a train rumbling through.  When it was over, thankfully, the only damage we suffered was a large uprooted tree in the backyard.

Another memorable tornado happened a few years earlier when a tornado destroyed three mobile homes, just two miles down the road from where we live.  Thankfully, nobody was killed, but several people were injured, as their homes were literally ripped to shreds.  I was remembering this as the tornado passed through our yard in 1982.

We also experienced the effects of hurricane David many years ago.  We live about 80 miles inland, but we  got  A LOT of wind and rain.  Thankfully, we didn’t lose power like many people did.

I think an earthquake would be the scariest of these three, because there is no warning at all before it happens.

7. Labor Day weekend is approaching so a work related question seems appropriate. Growing up, did your parents assign you regular chores? Were you paid for doing those chores? If you’re a parent do you assign chores to your own children? Why or why not?

Yes, my parents did assign chores.  I had to help clean the house on weekends, and I had to clean up the kitchen every night!  I’m not sure if I received a regular allowance, but I was given money when I wanted to buy something.

Our children had to clean their rooms, and clean up the kitchen each night.  I can’t remember if we gave them a regular allowance or not, but they were always given money when they needed some.

Random:  Yesterday I celebrated my 57th birthday!  It was an especially happy birthday this year.  Aside from the fact that I was treated to a beach trip, and then showered with cards, flowers, cake, gifts, family visits, and much love–I discovered that I am a year younger than I thought I was!  Ha!

I don’t know how or when I decided that I was going to be 58 on my birthday, but somehow I did!  When my granddaughter, Madison, asked me how old I was, I said “I’m 58.”  My daughter spoke up and said, “Well Facebook says you are 57.”  I quickly did the math, and determined, that indeed, I am only 57!  Now that’s a happy birthday!