Happy Mother's Day Mom! We just got home not long ago from the lake, that's why the posting is so late. But...I know you forgive me! :)
You do so much for everyone in your life. I remember when you would let Sancy and me have parties at the house every weekend. You provided all the food and chips and lots of pizza. I remember the time you and I went flying in the plane I think to Monroe. That was so much fun. I thought back then, and still today, there's nothing you can't do.
I remember every time Gary and I moved you were always there to take care of whatever needed to be done...from kitchen curtains to unpacking. You always knew when something was wrong. Remember when Gary and I lived in Fayetteville at Wedington Apartments and I was going back to school to be a teacher. Fayetteville had an awful snow/ice storm and I was driving your car. I don't remember why I had your car but I slid down a hill. I called you and said "Mom" and you said "You had a wreck didn't you? Are you okay?" There's also the time all my parking tickets were mailed to you and you paid them without saying a word to me.
You are a great Nana. Brent and Shane's friends used to always tell them they wished they had a Nana like you. Remember how every Christmas you got all the boys pencils with their names on them. Several years later it was the family joke but one year you didn't do it and they all wanted their pencils. Remember when Brent was a freshman in college and the professor called roll. After Brent said here this girl leaned over and said "Hi, I have a pencil with your name on it." We still laugh about that.
Your family has always come first. You didn't dare miss Shane's basic training and airborne graduation. Somehow I knew you would be there, rain or shine.
Remember when we went to Frisco, Colorado to see Brent? We took William and we decided to take William horseback riding. We pulled up to the ranch and my fear of horses took over. Here you are, also scared of horses (I think) but you went on a riding trail with William. I remember the thunderstorm that went by and I prayed and prayed that John would never find out that I let his elderly mom go off on horseback. You did it for William, that's just the way you are.
You may be smiling but I think it's fake! By the way, I clicked once over the picture to enlarge it. Most definitely a fake smile. It's a "I'm going to kill my daughter smile!"
Remember mailing Shane bread to Iraq once a week for 15 months? Well, I KNOW you remember that! Remember mailing Brent a rum cake to Destin, Florida one summer? You mailed several and his friends thought he had the neatest Nana in the world. I still remember Derek, one of the Kaleo's guys, asking Brent if you would mail him a rum cake once he went back home.
Remember when I had my wisdom teeth cut out and I fainted? You drove me to the dentist office and you were going to drive me home. You saw my bloody mouth and then YOU fainted! The staff in the office didn't quite know what to do with us.
I remember when Dermott had some Vietamese families to move in. I'm sure most people in the community shunned them, you didn't. You took them into your home and taught them English. The time you spent with the families without anything in return awes me. Most people would have just said "Well, I don't have time." You always make time to help others.
I remember all your Farm Bureau trips and the wonderful gifts you brought back...pearls, gold, opals, corals, and wonderful pottery that I still use today.
And, of course, Copper Mountain. What can I say! The best vacation I've ever had. You were the queen of snowmobiling! We had so much fun. Everyone still talks about that trip. Thank you so much.
What about our "shopping trip" to Beijing! Wasn't that awesome? I didn't realize I was taking you to China to shop though. The tour guide couldn't believe that he had a tourist who would rather shop than look at temples! I do recall asking you if you wanted to look at this famous temple and you replied "If you've seen one temple, you've seen them all." You were so happy in this picture. You had Brent to help you carry purchases and you did buy some very nice things!
And then there was that incredible meal. You were so good at chopsticks. You refused to eat with a fork. Somehow we had two groups of people at our table and we had three different languages going on. You never met a stranger. I don't know how but you carried on a conversation with everyone at our table.
Remember when we got to the airport? All these taxi drivers were coming up to me and I couldn't understand a word. Brent tells one okay and he took us through the back alleys. I knew we would never be seen again! The taxi driver also charged us triple!
I've left out so much. I know you want me to put our life in writing but there is just sooo much. I left out the trip to Florida with you, John, Brent, Shane, and Julie. I know John and Julie (cousin) were on the beach drinking margaritas. Did you know that? I think they were. I left out the trip to California where you kept telling Sancy and me to look out the window. If you've seen one mountain, you've seen them all. Gosh, I left out so much. Like when you received the Adult Education Teacher of the Year for North America and you and Jack went to Canada. For years I kept the picture of you and former governor Clinton on my desk at work. Needless to say, the picture was removed after he was President! I still have it though. I need to find it and post it here.
Not only are you one unique mother and Nana, you are one unique daughter also. You took care of Tomama until the day she died. I hope I can be just 10% of what you are.
Happy Mother's Day Mom!
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