My Morning Glory: My Mom

Today is Mother's Day and I wish all you moms out there a Very Happy Day!!!

I'm thinking of my mom today, and every day. She was awesome and I miss her very much. She died of cancer almost ten years ago. Ten years. It's hard to believe so much time has gone by and yet it seems like such a long time since I've been able to pick up the phone and call her.

I remember the last time she called me. It was early Christmas morning and she was calling to say 'Merry Christmas Les". We lived in the next town but she loved to make that phone call. I saw her name on the caller ID and just knew that it was the last time I would see that and also the last time I would hear her wish me a Merry Christmas. One of those moments, I guess.

But today is a day to celebrate her. So I will!

She was the second daughter of 3 children. Her name was Nancy Catherine. She was pretty and tall and brunette. She grew up on the northern coast of Massachusetts. She loved lobster, dressing up and makeup. She was classy and talkative. She was insightful and spiritual. She believed everything happened for a reason and things turned out the way they were supposed to. She loved old movies and the Enquirer and Star magazines. She always hoped for the best. Her favorite flowers were purple lilacs. I always tried to snag her some for Mother's day.

Most of all she loved her children. And her grandchildren. She got to know all of them before she died. I am happy about that. She was a very good mom for me. I was always a mama's girl and I never went through that teenage stage of fighting with my mom. She was always helpful and a good problem solver. She was always right! I accepted that and would laugh about it.

My mom was very young for her age. She had a youthful way about her. My boys said their 'Nannie' was 'cool'. She was always up on the latest fashions and trends. She loved working in the retail clothing industry after we had grown up. She was a stay-at-home mom in the early days. She handled my little-girl fears with gentleness and confidence. I was sick very often and she seemed to know just what to do. She always made me feel better.

I remember her spanking me only once :) My parents had company over one evening and my sister and I kept jumping on our beds, making a racket, even after she told us to stop. She warned us but we kept at it. So that was that.

No matter what decisions I made for my life she was never critical. She was always supportive and encouraging. If they turned out badly, she was there to help me. I was never alone. I never heard 'I told you so'.

As I write this, I am wondering if I am remembering only the good things, which often happens after the fact. But, for me, and I can only speak for myself, she was the best. I am not remembering her through rose colored glasses. I know she was human and had her issues, of course, but as MY MOM, she was awesome. And I know she was proud of me, just the way I was. And it gave me strength. It still does. When I am about to face something difficult, my inner mantra is "I am my mother's daughter'. I want to continue to make her proud. She deserves that.

And now, after all that sappiness:) here are some pictures of her.