Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Ten


Ten years ago today my mom left earth for heaven. One day she was golfing and playing cards on vacation, and the next she was in the hospital, never to regain consciousness. She died happy. It was like a lifetime ago. Actually, in my world, it was two lifetimes ago: the lives of my kids, to be exact. I thought I would honor her with some tens, in no particular order.

Ten things I miss about my mom:
  1. Her laughter
  2. Her listening ear
  3. Her spaghetti
  4. Her reassuring way, and belief that everything would work out
  5. Her delight in being with family
  6. Playing cards and games with her
  7. Celebrating with her
  8. Watching the Olympics and Vikings football with her
  9. Going to her house and letting her spoil us
  10. Of course, most of all, watching her enjoy her grandchildren


Ten (or more) things I'm thankful for about my mom:
  1. That she raised us in church and passed her faith along to us
  2. Her example of total commitment to raising her children well
  3. Her caring, supportive heart
  4. Her positive attitude
  5. Her determination to always do the right thing
  6. Her attention to beauty and detail
  7. The amazing amount of confidence she had in me
  8. Her love of music
  9. That when I got my first credit card she made me promise to always pay my balance off in full, every month
  10. That she gathered enough courage to come visit me in the Philippines


  11. That she lived long enough to be at my wedding
  12. That she lived long enough to see me become a mom for the first time
Ten things I wish I could ask or talk to her about:
  1. Her favorite memories from our years of growing up
  2. The highs and lows of her life as a mom
  3. What it was like parenting us through the teen years
  4. Her childhood memories of friends and family
  5. Is it just my imagination, or is Bethany a whole lot like I was as a little girl?
  6. Was I really that stubborn determined?
  7. Being sorry (but not too sorry) Acknowledging that my stubbornness determination might (possibly) have created some parenting challenges for her (and pointing out to her that it's gotten me a long way in life!)
  8. How she endured all those years of swim meets
  9. How thankful I am that she did
  10. The many things that never crossed my mind before I became a mom
Thank you so much, Lord,
for giving me an amazing mom.
She was, and will always be,
one of your most precious gifts to me.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful tribute, Tracy! Your mom was a special woman and I have pleasant memories of the brief encounters we had. She lives on in you...

Carla

Janette said...

How beautiful...I need a Kleenex now! Thinking of you today...

StitchinByTheLake said...

I read and I cried. My mother died July 2, 2004 and my Dad 4 months before her on March 1. Every day my heart longs for them. Just wish I could see them one more time. Someday I will but for now, I mourn with you. blessings, marlene

Julie said...

oh my, i am in tears, what a beautiful tribute to your mom. Such a blessing. What a wonderful mom.

Betty W said...

She sounds like a special person and I´m so sorry you don´t have her in your life anymore.
This was a beautiful tribute to her!

MaryD said...

Very special, Tracy. And looking at the family picture: were we really ever that young? I'm thankful eternity is long...

Tracy P. said...

We actually were. Lee claims I turned his hair gray. ;-)

Skeller said...

Oh gosh, Tracy ... wishing with you that your kiddos could have grown up knowing her, that you could have had 20 more years with her, wondering why God would bring her Home so early, and yet acknowledging all thru it that His plans are always sovereign and best...

stefanie said...

Cried too. I have a lot of the same questions. What great pictures and memories!