My Mom is a Giver
My Mom is the glue that holds our family together, caring for and nurturing us even though we've all grown up and moved on. She loves and cares for each of us and worries about us all the time. As children she has sacrificed a lot for us, often doing without so that we can have the things that (we felt) matter to us.
Here are 40 of my Mom-memories:
1. She made our clothes.
2. She made our rag dolls and Barbie doll clothes.
3. She's made toys for all her grandkids.
4. I remember her platting and tying ribbons in my hair.
5. I remember when she jammed clips into my scalp while trying to sort my scraggly hair out.
6. I remember her taking us to piano & singing lessons (and when the teacher left the class, I used to steal some of the sweets the teacher had in her sweet jar).
7. I remember that she always dressed my younger sister and I alike. Everyone thought we were twins.
8. I remember the strawberry-print pants she brought home from her first visit to the US and my sister and I wore them downtown - everyone stared at us.
9. I remember how she would blow-dry my sister and my short hair and make big curls that made us look like page boys.
10. I remember when she let us use her Hobby Tex to paint on fabric.
11. I remember when my Dad's mother died and she left us with her friend who showed us how to ice cakes.
12. She watched Dallas and Knots Landing every week. (Once we snuck up to the windows outside the living room and watched some of the show over her shoulder without her knowing).
13. She took us to a sweet store and she wouldn't let us buy any sweets - so I pretended to put them back but put them in my pocket instead.
14. I remember how persistent she was about us having good teeth and taking us to the dentist to have fillings.
15. I remember when we used to go to Plettenberg Bay on holiday and she'd make breakfast for us in the mornings.
16. She used to go to the 2nd hand book store and buy comics for us to read while in the car on our way to our holiday spot.
17. I remember when she introduced me to Mills & Boon - my first 'tame' romantic novel.
18. She used to perm her hair a lot and she had quite the afro sometimes.
19. Our church was next to the Wilson's Rowntree factory in East London and every Sunday my Mom would get a shoe box of chocolate rejects. The kids got 1 Barone a week and I always wondered where the rest of the chocolates went!!
20. I remember my Mom running the Mom's Race when I was in Preparatory School.
21. I remember the note my Mom gave me before my final matric exams - "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me".
22. I remember when my Mom was pregnant with my baby sister.
23. My Mom came home from the baby shower and spread out all of the baby clothes and items in the living room for us to find the next morning when we woke up.
24. My Mom would sit in her car and read her Mills & Boons books during our netball practice.
25. My Mom always got my brother, sister and I to wash the dishes and make the tea for guests when they came over.
26. My Mom sat my brother and I down one day and told us what Rape was. (Talk about embarrassment).
27. I remember she encouraged me to start singing in church.
28. My Mom organized a Math tutor for me when I was struggling with Maths in high school and she saved my bacon when she sent me to a sight-reading course that helped me get through my final year at high school.
29. I remember my Mom helping me with my wedding preparations and making sure I had my favorite breakfast on my wedding morning.
30. My Mom cried at the airport when Warren and I moved to England.
31. She surprised me at a restaurant in England the night of my 30th birthday. Her and Warren had planned it for months.
32. I remember walking into many fabric & craft stores with my Mom.
33. I remember the shock on her face when we surprised her and my Dad one December by arriving unexpectedly at their door a few days before Christmas. (Both started to cry).
34. My Mom flew over to the States 2 weeks before Jordan was born and stayed for another 6 weeks to help me with my new baby.
35. My Mom and Dad flew over to see us a few weeks after Cullen was born.
36. I remember my Mom rolling on the floor with my kids in the family room.
37. I remember the huge box of SA food (chocolates, chips, etc.) my Mom brought over for us.
38. My Mom gave us homemade Christmas tree decorations which we still have and use.
39. I still have the quilts my Mom made for my kids when they were just babies.
40. I remember Christmas time in 2006 when my Mom and Dad came over and spent it with us.
There are many things I remember about my Mom and I value each of those memories and keep them in my heart. I love you Mom. Thanks for all you've done over the years - can't wait to see you in August.
Love you lots 'n lots like Jelly Tots
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