Mom's Advice

 I had another great week visiting my mom in the nursing home. 

She was sleepy but fun.  

I reminded her of the times we went to the lake and woods as a family.   She said she didn't remember but she laughed and responded in phrases that are just MY mom. 

Mom insisted we learn to swim, because she never did. 

Thanks Mom. I Love to swim. 

She also insisted on telling us over and over that we should NEVER go camping when we had our period. We were most certain to draw hungry, young ,girl- eating -bears to us and die a crampy miserable death. 

Mom is practical.  Who wants to camp with your period anyhow? 

Mom lives the Golden Rule.  The only person I ever saw her be "mean" if you could call it that, to....

was my father. This was on very very few occasions over their long and difficult marriage. 

My mother is a saint of a wife. 

St. Wife. 

Mom was big on quitting. Dad was not. 

If you were frustrated and she could see it, she'd say,

"Oh quit, who cares?"

I think there is value in this as a parent. 

She also was keenly aware of my fragile nervous system and I think she knew not to push me to the limits of my inherited depression tendencies.  

She was my right arm when I was pregnant with Zachary. 

When Fireman was working every 3rd day for 24 hours and Al was being a darling nonstop 2 year old, she showed up.

She let me vomit in peace. 

She understood morning/all day sickness. 

She took care of my precious baby Al while I was crying, and nausea and overwhelmed with 3 months of yuck. 

During 2 depressive episodes in my 40s and 50s, my mom was amazing.  She called me every day.  She told me it would get better. She let me cry.  She took me with her to the grocery store just to get me to leave the house. 

She prayed to the Blessed Mother continuously for me. 

When I got worse, she put the Blessed Mother in the freezer. 

(have I told you this? ) 

She said she wasn't listening so she had to put her in the freezer. 

I was so distraught ....I'd say, OH mom take her out of the freezer please.  

She said, her cousin had to do this once and it worked. 

(I put my Blessed Mother in the freezer for ONE day, last year when Zach got bit by a wild dog in Mexico) 

She loved her naps. 

I say to her now, Mom did you get a nap today?

"boy did I!" she tells me and smiles.  

Where has this post gone?  

Yes, we are nutty. 

But my mom is the best mom you could ask for. 

She would lay down her life for her kids. 

It is funny but I couldn't write this for Mother's day. 

Holidays are so loaded with emotion.

So I'm glad I could write this today.

Thanks for praying for my  mom. 

She would just love you all!