a bit belated

Sydney, Australia
Paul's baptism

Rebekah's birth

It was my mom's birthday on February 26. I haven't had the time to sit and focus on sharing my thoughts about her. Until tonight.

It's interesting to sit and talk with your mother after you have become a mother yourself. I've always known that my parents married when my mom was 17 and I was born when she was 20. I always assumed that they wanted some time together before they had kids, so they waited 3 years. After my sister began trying to have children, my mom told me that they never prevented any children and in fact she had a miscarriage before having me. It just took my mom a long time to get pregnant. I never knew that.

There is an old country song called "Coat of Many Colors". I can't stand this song. I cry every time because I think of my mom's childhood. They were poor, the kind of poor I can't imagine. There were many kids (like 9 or so) and my grandmother was addicted to many things. I hate hearing about my mom's childhood. Even thinking of the stories brings tears to my eyes. Yet, my mom is okay with her youth. She has good memories. She often visits her family and has very close relationships with cousins and aunts and uncles who all helped her get through that time in her life.

She quit school in the ninth grade. She was attending school in the Memphis, Tennessee, area during the time of Martin Luther King, Jr. and his rallies. She remembers seeing a kid at school get his eye poked out with a fork in the lunch room (by a kid of another race). Racial tensions were high and my mom wanted no part of it. She later got her GED. She may not be book-educated, but my mom is one smartest "people-persons" in the world. She can read people like no other. When she has a "feeling" about someone, she is always spot-on. It's way more than mother's intuition. It's definitely a gift.

She is also very musical. Again, not formally-trained but natural talent. She cannot read music but she can pick out a song on the piano within minutes. I know she's played the guitar in the past, but I don't think she's even tried in the last decade or so. I'd love it if she'd pick that up again. She can sing really well, too. She sings like Patsy Cline or Loretta Lynn. She's old-school country. She's shy about her talents, but they are there if she'd only share them. She didn't give any of these talents to me, but Tonya got her love of singing. Trust me when I say there have been some wild karaoke nights at our house when my Aunts come to visit. And none of them involve me!

When teaching my children about generosity and charity, it's my mom and dad who come to mind the most. They will help (and have helped) anyone in need. All they want in return is a little gratitude, appreciation, a "thank you." They are amazing in their generosity. My mom will share anything she has. My whole life, she's shown her gratitude for her blessings, and has always worked to bless those who have less.

I hope my mom had a great birthday. My gifts to her are always so lame. I'm grateful for the blessing she is in my life, and the lives of my children. She is loved unconditionally and cherished immensely by her grandchildren. I'm proud she gave me her name. I have a wonderful legacy to carry on.