Happy Mother’s Day, and A Tribute!

My sister wrote this tribute to our mom yesterday and said I could share it here on the blog. Mother’s Day is now painful and beautiful, all mixed together. I go shopping for a Mother’s Day card, but it’s for my step-mom. I see all these cards I would like to buy my mom, and just wish I told her enough how much I loved her, and cared for her when she was still here on earth.

To those of you with children, Happy Mother’s Day! Enjoy your blessings.

To those of you without children and struggling with infertility, all I can say is press on. Don’t give up hope that God has a plan for your life. I’ve watched the raw painful journey of what infertility looks like, and seen that person continue to trust God over and over again, even though there are still moments of tears. God is faithful, despite trials.

To those of you who are missing your mom today, I understand. Those feelings are raw, and you never truly understand them until you have experienced it. I’ll never forget the horrible feeling that came over me when my best friend, my mother took her last breath. I was alone with her in the room, and I desperately wanted to somehow bring her back to life again. It’s almost been six years now, and God has been there to comfort me, and helped me through the tears and heartache.

Here is what my sister wrote.

“Her children arise up, and call her blessed.” Prov. 31:28

My mom with my sister
I miss my Mom every single day. This is a photo of my Mom helping me when I was a little girl. I have such wonderful memories of my childhood. My Mom was always watching out for me, helping me, teaching me, loving me, trying to encourage me to follow Christ. From my youngest years I remember seeing her face just light up when she smiled or laughed. She loved being with people, cared about them, enjoyed visiting, and was just in general such a happy outgoing woman. If Mom was happy, our entire family was happy. I remember thinking as a little girl how beautiful my Mom was. I hoped I could be like her when I grew up. 

My mom and myself (Caroline). I treasure this picture as I received hugs like this constantly from her. She was always there to comfort me, no matter how sick or tired she felt. 

My Mom was my best friend. I watched my Mom walk through health issues and other serious trials for most of the life I knew. She had Lupus for the last 17 years. I remember the days she almost died, I remember the entire year she spent in bed being so ill when I was 16. I remember ambulances, hospital stays, blood draws, more doctor appointments I took her to than I care to remember. She lived through such heartache. I wondered how she could possibly have the strength to go on. Truth was she told me, she didn’t have the strength. She had to cry out from the depths of her soul to God, and He gave her what she needed time and time again. He threw her a life jacket in the storms of life each time she thought she would drown. I watched her cry, I watched her fight, I watched her stand back up. Finally, I watched her die. I learned what really matters when you are about to enter eternity. I learned how to put life into true perspective. I learned I don’t want to waste the life God has given me.

My Mom taught me what it meant to have charity, the true love of Christ, for others. My Mom taught me to forgive. My Mom taught me there was nothing on earth more important than my soul and where it was in connection with God. My Mom taught me to be strong. My Mom taught me to look at people’s hearts, not just the outward body that was seen by my eyes. My Mom taught me to love the scriptures, to love beauty, to love listening to birds singing in the trees, to love being outdoors, to love music, to love singing praises to God. My Mom taught me to honor, respect, and care for those who were ill, elderly, and weak. My Mom taught me to be thankful for life itself. My Mom taught me to be grateful for the health I enjoyed. My Mom taught me what joy was. 

A happy mom with her two daughters! 

I wish so much I had told my Mom more often what she meant to me when she was alive. I wish I had talked to her more, asked her questions I never asked, hugged her a million times, told her I Love You all the times I didn’t.

My Mom is gone from this earth now, but I have her memory with me every day. I recognize and understand as a mother myself now just how blessed I was. I had such an incredible Mom! I hope in some way I can be a mother like her to my children. I love you Mother Dear!

This picture is a few months before she passed. The Lupus had gone to her brain at this point, but she still showed such beautiful radiance and joy, as she daily learned to keep putting her trust in the Lord. So thankful she was able to meet 4 of her grandchildren and enjoy them!