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Sunday, May 10, 2009

My Mom--I miss her so!

Happy Mother's Day to all of you mothers out in blog land, and for those who want to be mothers.

Recently, my brother was going through boxes of things in my parents' bedroom. Dad has been gone for almost 6 years, and it will be 28 years ago next month that we lost our dear mother. Anyhow, he found a box of my mother's photos. What a treat it was to have these passed to me! I saw pictures of her that I had never seen before, a time when she was in her 20s back in the 1950's.

Here is a picture of my mother with Mother's Day flowers that I sent her in 1980. I was in college at the time. Thirteen months later, she passed away. She was only 52 in this picture, two years older than I am now!

My mother was an amazing woman who survived many horrors in her life, things that I cannot imagine. However, she never let that stop her from going on in her life and being the best person she could be. She was a fantastic mother! She was strong, opinionated, loving, creative, and very social. She was also hilarious and one of my favorite memories is of her and me laughing hysterically at something we both found funny, just two days before she died.

On to the pictures:
It was so fascinating to see the young woman that she was. When I was at Wally World scanning these pictures, it took all I had to keep from bursting into tears. I don't think she ever realized just how beautiful she was! I love this picture of her in this beautiful dress with large dots. LOVE that dress!


She was quite the bathing beauty too! I was actually rather shocked to see her in a bikini, but wow, Mom was looking hot! I hope she isn't rolling over in her grave because I am posting these. Nah, she was the one who liked to run out to the front of the house in her bathing suits to kiss and hug guests goodbye just to give the neighbors something to talk about!




For a short time in her early 20s, my mother was married to a man (NOT my father!) who she thought was going to be a preacher. He turned out to be an abusive jerk who she divorced after he made threats to kill her. Back in the 50s, divorce was NOT common!

Anyhow, I think she had these pictures taken intending to send them to him while he was in the Army. At that time, she was living at a boarding house in Toledo for single women who were working or going to school. She had written on the backs of these pictures. Here is what they said.

"Writing to 'my man'."


"Thank you, I hope you liked the recital."


"I haven't heard from you in so long!" (Yep, I see divorce looming!)


"Time for tea."



"The housewife, relaxing." (Ugh, what ugly curtains here!)


"Just waiting - my baby's coming home"


"Do you like the perfume?" (Oh how I love this picture of her! Look at that tiny waist! I sure didn't inherit that from her.)


"Getting ready for work." (Because he didn't send her any money to pay the bills.)


"Bye now, see you later."


Mom had a lot of different jobs when she was in her 20s. She completed a degree in social work, but found that it really wasn't for her. She later went back to school to become a teacher. Here are some of the odd jobs she had along the way.

Mom was a camp counselor at Camp Friendly in Napoleon, Michigan. Here she is in front of one of the cabins. I think she OWNS these shorts!


Here she is at the camp playing a fortune teller, Madame Fifi, according to the back of the pic.


She put together this bulletin board. I think this may have been for Sunday school or maybe one of her very first classes.


I wonder if these are the kids she made the bulletin board for. They are so cute. Some of them remind me of the Little Rascals.


Here mom is ironing her apron for work. Can you imagine using those old irons? She was a waitress at a Kewpies. Not sure if this is that particular workplace, but she hated Kewpie's with a passion!




She had time for fun too. I love this picture of her in a rowboat. From the look on her face, I think that the photographer was someone that she was in love with. What do you think?


Here she is sitting on Santa's lap. Santa gives me the heebie jeebies in this pic though. He looks a bit like an evil clown. Although the caption on the pic says, "it sure is fun to sit on Santa's lap," she looks a little scared of him!


Gosh I sure do miss her! If you still have your mother, say a prayer of thanks that you still have her. Life never feels the same once she is gone. It was so hard for me at the time because I was only 22 and had a 6 month old baby. My youngest brother was still in high school. However, in the time she was on this earth, she was the best mother ever and taught me all the skills I needed to be successful in my life. She was loved by everyone who met her. I look forward to seeing her someday again in glory.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention my grandmothers!

This is my Grandma S. Here she is at age 31 (in 1922) holding my father! She was a warm and loving grandmother who passed from this earth far too soon. We lost her when I was only 7. She was a schoolteacher and a wonderful woman! I still get people (now elderly)coming up to me telling me how much they loved her. They do the same when talking about my mother. I take after my Grandma S a lot.


Here is my Grandma R, with my Grandpa. They took my mother into their home when she was 13 years old. My bio grandmother died when my mom was 8 years old. She went to an orphanage at age 9 and lived a hellish life there until my Grandma and Grandpa R took her in. They later officially adopted her. They gave her a good life. Grandpa ran a Mobil gas station and Grandma was also a teacher. While we didn't see them very often, and although Grandma was not a typically warm grandma, I did love her.


I hope all of you have a terrific Mother's Day surrounded by your loved ones.

Oh, my sons did give me the robin's egg blue plates! Yay! You'll get to see them on Tablescape Thursday.


10 comments:

raxx a day in the life said...

Happy Mother's Day Kathy, you certainly found a treasure of pictures of your mom!! She really was a beauty!

I'm sad for you that you lost her so early in your life and that your kids never knew her, but boy did she do a good job while she was here, you are so strong and upbeat, even in trying circumstances. Must be good mothering!

Rue said...

Good morning Kady :)

Thank you for sharing these pictures with us. She was a knock out, but it sounds as if she was a beautiful person inside as well. I'm sorry you lost her so early in life, but I just know she's "with you" today and smiling :)

Happy Mother's Day!!
hugs,
rue

Bargain Decorating with Laurie said...

What wonderful pictures of your Mom! So glad they were discovered and that you have them! She was a beauty, and this post was such a lovely tribute to her. How tragic for you and your brother that she died so young.

So glad you got your plates. Can't wait to see them! Happy Mother's Day. laurie

Anonymous said...

Hi Dear Kady! Oh, how I enjoyed seeing and reading about your mother. She was a beauty, wasn't she! I can see you look like her too!
I too an so sorry she was gone so soon! But, hallelujah, you will see her again some day!
Hope you had a beautiful Mother's Day!
Be a sweetie,
Shelia ;0

Tootsie said...

she was so pretty!!! love the photos! and the story behind each is so sweet to have in your heart!
Happy Mom's Day!

Donna said...

Kady, what a lovely post. I'm so glad the photos ended up in your hands, where they'll be treasured. I often wonder how so many photos end up in junktique shops and such. Your mom sounds like an incredible lady - and I'm glad you have that wonderful memory of laughing over something shortly before she passed. You are so right when you say that life is never quite the same once we lose our moms. I just got back from the cemetery. It's been 12-1/2 years for me now and what I wouldn't give to have another afternoon or Scrabble game with my mom... Happy Mother's day - your plates sound BEAUTIFUL!... Donna @ An Enchanted Cottage

Justine said...

Wow Kady, your mom really had a smokin' hot body and knew how to dress it too! What a treasure you have in all of these pictures!!!!!! I really enjoyed this post. And btw... your younger son (Jared? I'm always forgetting their names 'cause you don't use them often) looks a LOT like her!
Hope you had a terrific mom's day! Wtg on the plates!

Justine :o )

Magnolia Memories08 said...

Kady such a beautiful post.I lost my daddy 14 years ago it seems like yesterday. My mom turned 84 this past April. I have truly been blessed. My heart goes out to you.Keep the posts of her coming.That way you still have that cloesness with her. Just a beautiful lady.
You are such a inspiration
I love your blog. Please stop by for a visit.
Yah yah a new friend..

Nancy Rosalina said...

HI Kady, What a beautiful Mother you had! You did her proud in this post! I hope you had a wonderful Mothers Day! nancy

Anonymous said...

It was extremely interesting for me to read that post. Thanks for it. I like such themes and everything connected to them. I definitely want to read a bit more soon.