All my life, I’ve been told I look like my Mom, which is a great compliment. I think my Mom is beautiful. When I was growing up though, I tried not to be like her. She loved to garden. I did everything I could to avoid it. She canned and pickled. I didn’t. We knew when she had baked buns and bread or one of her legendary pies, because we could smell the heavenly scent halfway home from school. She always prepared wonderful home-cooked meals for us. For many years, I preferred to eat out or order in. She sewed clothes for me and my Barbie dolls, made amazing Halloween costumes for us kids. My attitude was, why bother? There’s a store for that. She worked alongside my Dad in the family business too and managed to become an accomplished golfer; she was club champion one year.
But her priority was her home and her kids. She truly was a homemaker. Still is. And now my little nephews are growing up in the warm glow of this smart, gifted and generous woman, their grandmother. I didn’t begin to value these talents until I was much older. Now of course, I’m trying to be more like her. I’m so grateful she’s still here, and willing to teach me. Happy Mother’s Day, Mom!